Are other operating systems ever going to catch up with Linux?

ZCFOutkast said:
This government should have made the use of Open Source compulsory in all government departments&municipalities - local, provincial and national. Further to that they should've made teaching LibreOffice, Email on Thunderbird compulsory in all primary, secondary schools&colleges as well as strictly open source development tools only in varsity. That would've shook things up overnight. That's all it takes. It can still happen. I would do it.
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I'm not in the IT field but then all you will get is graduates who cannot work for any of the companies doing business in SA because they cannot use the tools these companies use?
 
furpile said:
I'm not in the IT field but then all you will get is graduates who cannot work for any of the companies doing business in SA because they cannot use the tools these companies use?
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He probably assumes they will all end up in government
 
furpile said:
I'm not in the IT field but then all you will get is graduates who cannot work for any of the companies doing business in SA because they cannot use the tools these companies use?
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Because there aren't any companies in SA using Java.
 
ghoti said:
If you do not know the difference between some compromised security and if all encryption methods are compromised I am not qualified to have a discussion with you. Many encryptions are still solid. Also, some of the links you posted were lolworthy :D
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Encryption software like Truecrypt 7.1 is still solid. Even the FBI could not crack some drugdealers laptop from Mexico. That being said, your passphrase is the weak point in any form of encryption.
 
Lino said:
Still awaiting a response to this question from original poster.
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Have you looked at Kingsoft Office.

I'm using it with no problems. I prefer it more than LibreOffice. There is a free version and a pro version. The only difference is with the free version you cannot create macro's/VBA's, not that I use that, but the pro version is at the current exchange rate about R750 vs. R2000 for Office 2013 Home & Business.

I don't know though the current future of Kingsoft office.
 
furpile said:
I'm not in the IT field but then all you will get is graduates who cannot work for any of the companies doing business in SA because they cannot use the tools these companies use?
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MS struggling to replicate ODF, so essentially, most companies would be forced to use Open Source as well. Otherwise how do they exchange docs if PDF's are barred by policy?

Most IT Dsitributors make their money from gvt. People who get gvt tenders subcontract to white owned tech companies, assuming they're not already outlets for evil fronting that is.

Lots of corporations using Linux already e.g. FNB.

Basically, by and large the only companies not using Linux are IT companies selling IT software - SAP, Sage & Microsoft etc, as well as their army of inflexible resellers. Who else?

Reason why Microsft are going th esubscription route is purely for survival. That is why software developers long went the annual license renewal route. If customers protest and say we demand lifetime ownership of the old license, give your new releases we don't need to new customers, then a lot of those greedy software companies will leave SA ... thankfully.

Chances are furnpile, you and most are using a cracked Windows+office copy on your pc/laptop. Practically most here indirectly affirm MacLindroid's post - Are other OS's ever going to catch up with Linux?
 
Ok I'm sorry, but WTF? Where is this coming from?

ZCFOutkast said:
MS struggling to replicate ODF, so essentially, most companies would be forced to use Open Source as well. Otherwise how do they exchange docs if PDF's are barred by policy?

Most IT Dsitributors make their money from gvt. People who get gvt tenders subcontract to white owned tech companies, assuming they're not already outlets for evil fronting that is.

Lots of corporations using Linux already e.g. FNB.

Basically, by and large the only companies not using Linux are IT companies selling IT software - SAP, Sage & Microsoft etc, as well as their army of inflexible resellers. Who else?

Reason why Microsft are going th esubscription route is purely for survival. That is why software developers long went the annual license renewal route. If customers protest and say we demand lifetime ownership of the old license, give your new releases we don't need to new customers, then a lot of those greedy software companies will leave SA ... thankfully.

Chances are furnpile, you and most are using a cracked Windows+office copy on your pc/laptop. Practically most here indirectly affirm MacLindroid's post - Are other OS's ever going to catch up with Linux?
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And my tag is furpile, btw. And I have a legal copy of Win7. Don't have Office on my home PC now, but I used to have Openoffice. The reason for Windows is that it's the only platform games work on properly. For a small business, sure Linux could work just as well. And I still don't get how we affirm the OP?
 
furpile said:
I'm not in the IT field but then all you will get is graduates who cannot work for any of the companies doing business in SA because they cannot use the tools these companies use?
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That's not really a valid reason not to use software like Linux in schools and universities. They're not training grounds to suit the requirements of the business world nor should they be corrupted to become so.

ZCFOutkast said:
A lot of guys here might swear by linux&oss, but their bread and butter comes from proprietary solutions built for Windows. Some have just graduated using developer tools which have nailed them to the proprietary software mast. No doubt governments&coperations are using oss comfortably for demands datasizes more complex&much bigger than some handle by proprietary solutions.
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Not really. People make software that meets requirements. If there are paying customers that want to use Linux, then commercial products get made for it.

It's pointless to GIMP/Thunderbird/LibreOffice can't hold a candle to MSOffice&Photoshop etc, because the majority of people don't need the extra features.
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It's more than features. It's about ease of use. For far too long open source products had graphical interfaces designed by people who were clueless about good interface design.

This government should have made the use of Open Source compulsory in all government departments&municipalities - local, provincial and national. Further to that they should've made teaching LibreOffice, Email on Thunderbird compulsory in all primary, secondary schools&colleges as well as strictly open source development tools only in varsity. That would've shook things up overnight. That's all it takes. It can still happen. I would do it.
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They should have, but only because it would be cheaper. At university I used gcc, vi and so on. I work on Linux daily, and I'd still not consider it as my primary operating system.
 
ZCFOutkast said:
Chances are furnpile, you and most are using a cracked Windows+office copy on your pc/laptop. Practically most here indirectly affirm MacLindroid's post - Are other OS's ever going to catch up with Linux?
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Not really. It instead affirms the fact that people would rather go to the trouble of cracking Windows than have to use Linux. Hell I'd rather pay Apple's premium hardware prices or even go the trouble of building a Hackintosh rather than have to use Linux as my desktop system. I'd even pay for Windows if that was the only option other than Linux.
 
furpile said:
The reason for Windows is that it's the only platform games work on properly .... And I still don't get how we affirm the OP?
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My apologies furpile. "N" is so far from R&P.

Apart from AxizWorkgroup, surely the Rectrons, Musteks&Pinnacles of this world don't have "gaming" at the top of their key business areas, and are geared to survive Windows/Linux. no?

How affirm? We're a professional&social society that's littered with cracked software. Only reason anyone going into business tomorrow knows they have a fighting chance is because Open Source will be/is the backbone of their operation. IT admins here rely alomst entirely on OSS to get things done at their workplaces/cleint maintaining the Windows network which that specific Proprietary productivity software relies on to run. Remove OSS from the world tomorrow and many will be at sea. Throw out Windows and in 24 hrs we can all be back up again in 24-48hrs. The time it takes some to get a couple of heavy network printers working properly in a medium sized network.

Everything is heading the web-based direction, even if it's hosted locally. Makes sense to use Linux since browsers are platform independent. Best Web development tools&databases are open source, so web apps will be web based. Thats why SAP&JD Edwards have nothing on Odoo. Most of the traditional/proprietary guys were long overtaken in terms of quality,customization&scalability because the others used superior Open Source tools. But for Marketing Budgets, many of the corporations would've&should've been extinct by 2020. They are alive because we want to make that 20-50% markup for doing F***-all.
 
noxibox said:
Not really. It instead affirms the fact that people would rather go to the trouble of cracking Windows than have to use Linux.
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One big client of mine always had problems with shelling out fat payments for productivity software annual fees plus of course MS's volume licensing at certain intervals. Eventually he rolled out cracks himself. Not because of "anyting but sh*t linux" mentality, but for plausible continuity reasons.

The other ones were growing but obviously weren't too willing to pay for more licences as well, plus keeping in mind the employees resistance. My advice is&was you pay them so they'll do whatever job you pay them for on any platform&software, because no one has problems finding their way around their new private gadgets, and it only takes a day to familiarise anyone on their repetitive tasks for their job function in any software. Some stick to Windows with cracks, or pay, but some have had very smooth transitions with linux and are better for it clearly.

Liek I said we don't migrate clients because we're happy to get the discounts/rebates/commisions for doing nothing!

But people should stop the tired argument that "linux needs lots of configuration before you're up and running". Grab a Dell Ubuntu laptop and you won't need to inquire about Office Home&Student/Business or get a friend/tech/disc to hook up that inkjet, however old it is.

NB: I don't understand people who buy Apple. For an American it's ok because it's a matter of pride (seeing as PCs aren't exactly mostly American nowadays - I'm guessing our gaming buddy furpile's hardware), but why buy Apple?
 
noxibox said:
That's not really a valid reason not to use software like Linux in schools and universities. They're not training grounds to suit the requirements of the business world nor should they be corrupted to become so.
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I'm definitely not saying it shouldn't be used at university/schools, but the post I replied to said "strictly" use open-source, which is unrealistic.
 
ZCFOutkast said:
But people should stop the tired argument that "linux needs lots of configuration before you're up and running". Grab a Dell Ubuntu laptop and you won't need to inquire about Office Home&Student/Business or get a friend/tech/disc to hook up that inkjet, however old it is.

NB: I don't understand people who buy Apple. For an American it's ok because it's a matter of pride (seeing as PCs aren't exactly mostly American nowadays - I'm guessing our gaming buddy furpile's hardware), but why buy Apple?
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You are correct, the newer Linux distro's work easily enough. I tried Suse about 10+ years ago and it was a hassle, trying to do everything with the command line. But about 2 years back I had Ubuntu on my PC and it was super easy, provided you have an internet connection. But for Home use, games are still the main reason I won't switch.

For a small business there is definitely a strong case to be made for OSS to reduce overheads. But at large companies that is not always possible. If you use any professional CAD software, the developers test specific PC builds (eg DELL Precision PC's). They are very specific as to the hardware you can use, and the software. You cannot just run your software on Linux.
 
Furpile and ZCFOutkast raised interesteing points.

On a very slow, 2007 laptop, Linux Mint installs in less than 10 minutes. It is super easy to configure, you can even choose the encrypt your hard drive to USA DoD standards (they don't say that, I just happen to know) and you really do not need to configure hardware drivers, etc.

Linux has become super easy, it can be great fun and my suggestion would be to let schools and universities use it. It is an excellent way of teaching the young relevant ICT knowledge, hone their skills. This will eventually lead to some of them developing better or new apps, even choose a career as Linux professionals are not easy to come by. Create a career path now by thinking far ahead.

As for LibreOffice, it is an alternative to MSO but by far not a replacement. Most people/businesses will find it sufficient and the benefit is that the interface remains virtually unchanged. Traning staff is easier than having to deal with re-training as fast as MS changes things.

Over a generation, this can bring down the cost of computing and silently bury the proprietary systems.
 
DWPTA said:
Have you looked at Kingsoft Office.

I'm using it with no problems. I prefer it more than LibreOffice. There is a free version and a pro version. The only difference is with the free version you cannot create macro's/VBA's, not that I use that, but the pro version is at the current exchange rate about R750 vs. R2000 for Office 2013 Home & Business.

I don't know though the current future of Kingsoft office.
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Kingsoft also runs on Linux but it come from China........possible spyware in there? It runs well and is more than good enough for basic functionality. Also, it is not available on official Linux repositories and one needs to download a.deb install file from Kingsoft. This is a security risk as we Linux users prefer to download only what had passed the test.
 
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MacLindroid said:
Kingsoft also runs on Linux but it come from China........possible spyware in there? It runs well and is more than good enough for basic functionality. Also, it is not available on official Linux repositories and one needs to download a.deb install file from Kingsoft. This is a security risk as we Linux users prefer to download only what had passed the test.
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Been running it for a while now with no issues. No spyware or malware detected.

Not everything from China is a Fong Kong special....
 
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