[Gllug] [OT] Support model for Linux vs M$

[salsaman at xs4all.nl]

On Thu, March 12, 2009 15:40, Simon Wilcox wrote:
> On 12/3/09 13:48, salsaman at xs4all.nl wrote:
>> On Thu, March 12, 2009 14:22, j.roberts wrote:
>>> salsaman at xs4all.nl wrote:
>>>
>>>> So, you count the cost of the Windows lock-in to be a part of the TCO
>>>> of
>>>> any alternative solution ?
>>> Yes of course. There IS no practical non-Windows solution in these
>>> cases. So why pretend there is?
>>>
>>
>> Can you give a few examples of Windows software for which there exists
>> no
>> Free alternative ? I am frequently asked by FOSS developers for ideas
>> for
>> products to develop.
>
> On the desktop - Photoshop.
>
> The Gimp is OK but it's just not the same for getting the job done in a
> professional design studio. It's not worth retraining users to use it
> when there's a perfectly serviceable paid-for alternative. Photoshop
> also gives you a much larger pool of possible candidates when recruiting
> new staff and it makes it possible to simply exchange files with a whole
> ecosystem of people that use the same defacto standard.
>

It may be true that there are more people familiar with photoshop than
gimp - but your point was whether or not free alternatives exist.


> In specialist applications - I've never seen veterinary practice
> software that isn't Windows based.

Well, I found this after a few seconds of searching:
http://www.shcircuit.com/~ross/view.php/page/vetabout

looks like a pretty reasonable package to me.


I also don't know a decent FOSS
> equivalent of QuickBooks for running the accounts of SME businesses. And
> by decent I mean one that won't cost me more than the relatively modest
> cost of QuickBooks in fiddling time and frustration.
>

I haven't looked, but I am pretty sure there are decent Free alternatives
to quickbooks.


> Being pragmatic, I'm quite happy to pay for specialist applications
> where they add value to my business.
>

Sure, but why not check out the Free (as in speech) alternatives too ?

Instead of paying for applications, companies can pay developers directly
to add/customise new features. And if the features are then released
publicly, everyone benefits.


Salsaman.
http://lives.sourceforge.net


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