Yes, but not everyone has everything they need right there. In my company it is almost impossible since we have windows only software that we can't port, or use wine for (believe me I've tried) This is for the banking industry. So until there is a way to make that work, I've done what most places have done, put linux in the server room.
However, the department I was in was almost entirely into *nix development, but we would have to do some kinda stuff related to Windows from time to time.
We also learnt that it's quite useful for you to have some kinda virtual machine like VMWare [vmware.com] on your box, to boot into alternate OSes. Really really useful.
And the problem is that it's really hard being in the development industry with only Linux -- sooner or later, you're going to run into some client who'd ask yo
Let's not forget, te focus here is "business desktops". Not "development desktops". That means we need 100% interoperability with a variety of MS document formats, including:
- Word
- Excel
- PowerPoint
- Project
Word and Excel are mostly there, but PPT is iffy, and I'm not aware of anything for the OSS desktop that is 100% (or even close to that) interoperable with Ms. Project. If someone can point me to solutoins to those two problems (PowerPoint, Project), especially if there are free or
"Let's not forget, the focus here is "business desktops". Not "development desktops". That means we need 100% interoperability with a variety of MS document formats, including"
Strangely, I just like to have a good word-processor. Getting stuff done quickly and easily can be more important than being able to open whatever random crap people send you in emails.
You mention that Word documents and Excel documents are fully-compatible with OpenOffice, but I'd like to extend that by saying: These file formats are compatible NOW. Migrate within the next year or forever lose your chance. The file formats will change, and history shows that microsoft will make it more difficult in the future for you to choose alternatives.
Powerpoint presentations... well let's just say most people don't keep them for long (new presentation for each meeting, etc.) so perhaps it's possible to (a) create new projects in some nice new tool such as kpresent or OpenOffice, (b) convert some old files by exporting as a common file format, (c) if there's any polically-inconvenient naysayers (i.e. the management team), hire a trained monkey to convert/retype their presentations for them, and (d) if anyone is monumentally stupid enough to use powerpoint as a graphics program, give them crossover-office to use. And don't encourage them in the future.
Phil Greenspun has some web-based presentation software which might be worth looking at, which doesn't support whoosh-y text:-) and has a nice centralised searchable, repository. You might even create a CSS file for your company's presentation format, so they all get updated each time for free.
MS-Project: I just mentioned in another post that I've written a web-based project planning software which is truly multi-user (assign owners to projects, and those owners can create sub-projects and assign tasks in each project to people etc.) which will be commercial but free (with source) for the first company to try it. Reply for details.
Also I notice that with project-planing software, you can't read MPP directly, but you can export from MS-Project to an XML format, and loads of programs read the exported format.
oh, p.s. Even if you've got MS everywhere, have a play with OpenOffice Draw for some diagrams, charts, etc. - thoroughly reccomended program!
Easy to do (Score:1)
months now. Didn't even bother to dual boot. I
have everything I need
Re:Easy to do (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Easy to do (Score:5, Interesting)
However, the department I was in was almost entirely into *nix development, but we would have to do some kinda stuff related to Windows from time to time.
We also learnt that it's quite useful for you to have some kinda virtual machine like VMWare [vmware.com] on your box, to boot into alternate OSes. Really really useful.
And the problem is that it's really hard being in the development industry with only Linux -- sooner or later, you're going to run into some client who'd ask yo
Easy *except* for... (Score:4, Insightful)
- Word
- Excel
- PowerPoint
- Project
Word and Excel are mostly there, but PPT is iffy, and I'm not aware of anything for the OSS desktop that is 100% (or even close to that) interoperable with Ms. Project. If someone can point me to solutoins to those two problems (PowerPoint, Project), especially if there are free or
Re:Easy *except* for... (Score:4, Insightful)
Strangely, I just like to have a good word-processor. Getting stuff done quickly and easily can be more important than being able to open whatever random crap people send you in emails.
You mention that Word documents and Excel documents are fully-compatible with OpenOffice, but I'd like to extend that by saying: These file formats are compatible NOW. Migrate within the next year or forever lose your chance. The file formats will change, and history shows that microsoft will make it more difficult in the future for you to choose alternatives.
Powerpoint presentations... well let's just say most people don't keep them for long (new presentation for each meeting, etc.) so perhaps it's possible to (a) create new projects in some nice new tool such as kpresent or OpenOffice, (b) convert some old files by exporting as a common file format, (c) if there's any polically-inconvenient naysayers (i.e. the management team), hire a trained monkey to convert/retype their presentations for them, and (d) if anyone is monumentally stupid enough to use powerpoint as a graphics program, give them crossover-office to use. And don't encourage them in the future.
Phil Greenspun has some web-based presentation software which might be worth looking at, which doesn't support whoosh-y text
MS-Project: I just mentioned in another post that I've written a web-based project planning software which is truly multi-user (assign owners to projects, and those owners can create sub-projects and assign tasks in each project to people etc.) which will be commercial but free (with source) for the first company to try it. Reply for details.
Also I notice that with project-planing software, you can't read MPP directly, but you can export from MS-Project to an XML format, and loads of programs read the exported format.
oh, p.s. Even if you've got MS everywhere, have a play with OpenOffice Draw for some diagrams, charts, etc. - thoroughly reccomended program!