On Tuesday 16 July 2002 07:59 pm, bobwarasila wrote:
> > How about Linux, OpenOffice.org?  I used to be a MS fan, but several
> > years ago I had to learn about Linux because we couldn't afford an NT
> > server.  I have watched the desktop improve, until it is quite useable
> > these days.  There are a few nuisances, but then there are nuisances
> > galore with MS products too.
>
> Yes, I'm thinking about taking the plunge but I not familiar with Linux
> (Unix).  What's the learning curve like and will I be able to use existing
> Word and Excel files?   Is the desktop client similar in function to
> Windows?
>
>
> Bob Warasila

Bob:
Moving from Windows to Linux does require a lot of effort and dedication, but
it's much easier than it used to be. You can get a good idea of what's
involved by poking around through the links at
http://www.linuxlinks.com/Beginners/ -- you don't have to read them all, of
course.

I strongly recommend that a newbie pick one of the mainstream distributions.
My short list would be RedHat, Suse or Mandrake (my preference). Take
a look at their websites; in particular, check out their support resources.
They all run free (as in beer) mail lists and forums. Be sure to check your
hardware against the vendor's hardware compatibility list. While Linux can
handle most current hardware, there are instances where something that works
fine under Windows will either be a hassle to get running, or it just plain
won't work. Software modems can be a real pain; sound cards and video cards
run a close second.

Once you've made your choice, buy the boxed set that contains 7 CDs -- figure
about $80. The smaller sets (typically $40) are intended for persons who
already have some Linux experience, and they don't include as much
documentation or support. Avoid the temptation to save some money by
downloading the CDs; again, that's for people who either have been there,
done that, or who are gluttons for punishment.

Yes, you can read and write Word and Excel files from Linux. If you don't
need the database capability, OpenOffice.org works very well. No
download necessary; it's included in the distribution. If you need an
MS-compatible database, then you'll need StarOffice 6.0. It's included in the
Mandrake 8.2 PowerPack; I'm not sure if it's in RedHat or Suse. If not, you
can buy it from Sun for about $75. There's also Wine -- I'm told that it will
run a number of Windows apps, including MS Office.

Desktop clients: Like everything else in Linux, you've got a choice. If you
decide to use KDE, I didn't have much trouble making the transition from
Win98SE/NT4. Gnome, OTOH, is different -- and more flexible. You can create a
desktop that looks unlike anything you've ever seen.

Parting thoughts: (1) Configuring Linux can be more of a hassle than Windows,
but I don't have to spend any time doing virus scans, defrags, and
reformat/reinstalls. (2) Except for the most devout Linuxers, dual-booting
between Windows and Linux is necessary: There are a lot of applications for
which there is no Linux equivalent. (3) Linux gives you a lot of choices --
sometimes it does get overwhelming. My stock Mandrake 8.2 installation
included seven browsers; I added Netscape as the eighth. In addition to
OpenOffice.org and StarOffice, I also have KWord and AbiWord.

HTH. Feel free to contact me directly.

Regards,
Carroll Grigsby

                  Visit our website regularly for FAQs,
               articles, how-to's, tech tips and much more
                          http://freepctech.com