[IOML] IoM LUG Get Together

[Dylan Smith]

On Mon, 17 Mar 2003, John Mylchreest wrote:
Hi,

> Friday the 28th of March at the Cat with no Tail.

Can you provide directions for those of us living in the South?

> server, maybe try get in some companies to speak who have already
> switched? And maybe discuss the feasibility of WiFi.

You can talk to me about companies that have already switched. I switched
Kestrel Insurance's server from a rather unreliable Windows system to a
Linux system, using RH 7.3. The server is a full Windows primary domain
controller for roaming profiles etc on their Windows desktops, runs a
Jabber server for instant messaging, logs phone call details from their
PABX, and performs automatic off-site backups.  Kestrel have several other
Linux systems as VPN routers/firewalls/web proxies/mail servers for the
branches (much cheaper than Cisco routers, and we could recycle some of
the older PCs that way). Other inventive uses were a terminal server for
Misys. Linux has been working *really well* for Kestrel. The servers and
routers just stay up. They can be easily remotely admined by connecting
via the VPN. They are secure.

I think as for getting companies to move wholesale, it has to be 'sold' to
companies in language they understand. At this stage, it's probably not
practical to make a company to switch on the front office and the back
office to Linux in a big bang. The way to do it, IMHO, is to start
chipping away at proprietary software. Start by replacing MS Office on
Windows for Open Office on Windows. Then move them away from IE to
Mozilla. Database projects? Suggest PostgreSQL instead of MS-SQL or
Oracle. Or if it's a light project, MySQL.

The terms companies understand? Money of course - a firm with 10 computers
could save around 3 grand on software if they simply used OpenOffice
instead of MS Office even if they pay someone to actually come in and
install the software (and OO does read Word .doc files, so they can still
read stuff from those who insist on emailing .doc files around). Also,
there's the whole kettle of fish called the BSA - Business Software
Alliance. It's only a matter of time before they come to the island and
start their antipiracy raids here too. Companies who have been buying one
copy of Office and installing it on all their machines are going to be
shocked at the price of license compliance.

If you're in charge of a company's IT, you can start by installing maybe
just a couple of copies of OO, to 'make sure it works right'. And then it
spreads. I use OO myself (mainly the spreadsheet and the word processor)
to do my usual invoicing and letters types of jobs, and read any .doc
files that anyone sends me. (I even have my Dad using Linux and Open
Office, and he's about as computer illiterate as they come <g>) I also use
another great piece of opensource software for my accounts - GNUCash.

Also, it may be good to get some political plans - work on our MHKs to
encourage government to use open source (again starting with OpenOffice).
At the moment, my estimate is the government are likely to be spending on
the order of 300K of taxpayer's money *per year* on software rental for a
pure Microsoft setup. This is money that is coming out of taxpayer's
pockets and being sent to the United States instead of being spent locally
on people who could install and support things like OpenOffice and
PostgreSQL and Apache. Even if it cost them just as much to have a local
firm install and fully support these open source systems, the money would
be staying on the island instead of being sent abroad, leaving our economy
forever. With so many economic eggs in one basket, we need to support
local people and companies instead of foreign ones! (I think this could be
a very strong argument to sell to non-technical people and MHKs).

I think it'd be possibly worthwhile to start a sort of 'meta group' that
encourages the use of open source on all platforms. It seems like all the
companies who do IT in the island know Microsoft and nothing else...and
that's half the problem.

Anyway, just some food for thought, and I'm probably preaching to the
choir :-)
-- 
Dylan Smith, Castletown, Isle of Man      | Code fast, crash young and
Flying: http://www.dylansmith.net         | leave a beautiful core.
FFE/Elite Universe: http://www.alioth.net |             -- JK (#afe)