Guest duir66 Posted October 15, 2002 Report Share Posted October 15, 2002 I was volunteered to sit on a committee in my local LUG that is going to present Linux as a viable alternative to updating several hundred computers to run XP. Of course if they do go to XP they will be needing to update the hardware too. The LUG I belong to wants to prevent this and the Library System's Sys Admin is game for a peak at the bird. He's no techno-id10t, so I need to be ready. Do any of you guys have specific technical "Linux is better than Windows because...." reasons I could use to get the Penguin on the Systems computers. I know many, I just want some really good technical benefits. ---Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glitz Posted October 15, 2002 Report Share Posted October 15, 2002 What are the computers used for exactly? Cataloging and tracking library books or public PCs or what? I heard of a library in Australia that started producing open source library software (they actually hired a company to write the first version of the code and then released it as open source). You might want to find out what the computers are used for and provide examples of programs that can be used under linux to accomplish those tasks. Glitz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest duir66 Posted October 15, 2002 Report Share Posted October 15, 2002 To the best of my recollection, there are certain computers set aside running AS/400 that are for the card catalogue, etc. Others, the ones we're concerned about, are primarily there to provide users with the ability to do research online. An alternative to a strictly book-based operation. Last time I was in a Branch, they were using NT4, locked down of course(or something like that.) My thoughts are that they can achieve the same ends with a minimal install of linux. The user lock out configuration on linux distros are standard issue - no root access - unlike a basic install of Windows. As far as hardware goes, it could be as old as P133 or possibly as new as PII-400, maybe a little newer. I remember them being a little bit dated. Other members of the committee are responsible for acquiring the "haves, needs and wants" list. My main request here is about good relevant technical arguments that I can use to sell Linux to a dyed-in-the-wool Windows Technician. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezroller Posted October 15, 2002 Report Share Posted October 15, 2002 Glitz: do you happen to have the name of that software or any links to the story? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest duir66 Posted October 15, 2002 Report Share Posted October 15, 2002 Good point, ezroller, ideas about any kind of specialized software that can run on linux that a library could use would be most cool. I'm mostly in charge of creating anti-Windows FUD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezroller Posted October 15, 2002 Report Share Posted October 15, 2002 I'm mostly in charge of creating anti-Windows FUD. its a full time job people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest duir66 Posted October 15, 2002 Report Share Posted October 15, 2002 I thought it was a life time job?????? :shock: Seems like I've been at it forever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest duir66 Posted October 15, 2002 Report Share Posted October 15, 2002 I think I heard this discussed the other night at the meeting. If not, here it is anyway..... http://www.koha.org/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest duir66 Posted October 15, 2002 Report Share Posted October 15, 2002 sorry, too many posts. Here is the article: http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/print/4408/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glitz Posted October 16, 2002 Report Share Posted October 16, 2002 Ya, that's the software I was talking about. Glitz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest duir66 Posted October 16, 2002 Report Share Posted October 16, 2002 Thanks. I'm sure we'll need all the ammo we can get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest frew Posted October 16, 2002 Report Share Posted October 16, 2002 Good luck! It would be great if you could get this done! Remember to consider the fact that on really old computers GNOME and KDE need to be slimmed WAY down. My brothers and sister use kde on a 400mhz comp with 64 megs of ram and kde is just bearable(sp?). I hope you can get them to accept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest duir66 Posted October 17, 2002 Report Share Posted October 17, 2002 That's an excellent point to be sure. Does anyone know how heavy Bluecurve is? I haven't tried it out for myself yet. I would be hesitant to suggest anything as radical as Windowmaker (though I think it very innovative and cool). Hopefully all they'll require would be a browser. Either Konquerer or Mozilla-Phoenix would fit the bill I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest itti Posted October 17, 2002 Report Share Posted October 17, 2002 don´t use kde apps if you don´t use kde... they will have a very longer time to start up if started outside of kde. use phoenix :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glitz Posted October 17, 2002 Report Share Posted October 17, 2002 I have ICEWM light (LM 8.1) installed on a 100MHz pentium with 48MB of ram and it works acceptibly. The library will probably want a very limited system anyway that only allows the user to do a few things like search for books or browse the web. They generally don't need a whole plethera of applications. Give them a clean system with just the required icons on the desktop. If possible, make it so that the user can't go in and mess up the desktop. Glitz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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