[Gllug] Converts to Linux

[damion.yates at gmail.com]

On Tue, 6 Nov 2007, Riq wrote:

> I have recently convinced three individuals that the machine I
> supplied to them should be SuSE Linux 10.2, not Windows.
> My arguments were
> 1) freedom from viruses and need for constant updates
> 2) price
> 
> I undertook to install Windows within the first 90 days for the cost
> of the software if they were not happy.
> 
> One client is still using Linux. He was sad not to be able to
> download 10 free songs from iTunes Store, but no other complaints.

I was fairly certain that codeweavers went to rgeat efforts to get
iTunes working reliably under wine.  The website doesn't really
confirm this, but it does appear to be supported to run, including
syncing with an iPod.
 
> The second client hit a bug in OpenOffice 2.0 - he had stored many
> letters written in Word with the date as 'today'.  These are
> displayed in Word with the original date, but OpenOffice shows
> today's date. Also being elderly, he could not cope with the largely
> cosmetic differences between these word processors. I had to install
> Win XP and Office.

Office is well supported under wine, as this user already has licences
(I assume, seeing as you then installed it), you have this as an
option to you.
 
> The third client was very happy with Linux, till her daughter found
> a website which would only work properly with IE. As this was
> necessary to apply for a job, I had to install Windows. In this case
> a dual boot was chosen and IE only used when unavoidable.

This is getting very rare these days.  Sometimes UserAgent switcher is
all that is needed.  Otherwise search for "ies4linux", and use IE
under wine.
 
> I anticipate the next problem will be .docx files. It is really a
> shame that OpenOffice have still not taken this on. We have a real
> opportunity with MS users starting to receive .docx files and being
> expected to shell out for Office 2007
> 
> To sum up, we have quite small problems which could be fixed soon if
> priorities were based on winning ex-MS users.  We would then start
> to build numbers of users which would lead to the resolution of
> browser incompatibility and lead to less perception of Linux being a
> leap into the unknown.

Well done in your efforts so far :)

Damion

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