Linux on the business workstation

[movieman]

I'd guess the biggest issue with iTunes is that it's presumably the only interface to buy music from Apple; however you really shouldn't be doing that on a work PC.

The simple answer would probably be to put a link on the desktop that says 'iTunes' but actually runs one of the iPod-compatible Linux applications instead .

[timnwells]

So I was right with zombification?
You use audio player that does not support all formats, it does not support all opensource formats, it does not support all operating systems, it isnt cheap and its company likes to do what suits it! Why are you buying it then?

For white box and belongings to the clan?

Talk about psychological manipulation!

Yes you were right with the zombification.

Once again, you know these things, I know these things. We have the benefit of wisdom and experience about such things.

The average Microsoft using zombie doesn't. They will buy it "to be one of the clan" or because it's "shiny" or because their equally zombie "friend has one".

The average people that would be using the desktop if it really was an alternative, are going to be the zombies.

It seems that Linux will either stay as an elite OS, attracting the intelligent techie people and keeping a very small market share.. or it needs to cater to the zombies and open itself up to a bigger market share and truly be available "on the desktop".

[timnwells]

I'd guess the biggest issue with iTunes is that it's presumably the only interface to buy music from Apple; however you really shouldn't be doing that on a work PC.

The simple answer would probably be to put a link on the desktop that says 'iTunes' but actually runs one of the iPod-compatible Linux applications instead .

I agree. I didn't really want this to become another iTunes/Apple bash.

My focus was meant to be on the lack of quality/capable business/accounting software such as MYOB or Quickbooks for the Linux platform.

It seems to me that there could be a potential market for a software developer to produce quality, taxation law compliant accounting software for Linux.

[RobbieAB]

My focus was meant to be on the lack of quality/capable business/accounting software such as MYOB or Quickbooks for the Linux platform.

It seems to me that there could be a potential market for a software developer to produce quality, taxation law compliant accounting software for Linux.

I'm not entirely convinced...

The problem is tax compliant accounting software is highly specialised and requires highly specialised, non-natural geek skills, like a detailed knowledge of the tax rules. It is also quite high maintenance as it needs to be updated as the tax rules change and evolve. Add to that, it tends to be nation specific, and you often find that there isn't much of a market for more than one or two players in many countries.

This means that those few players there are can, essentially, dictate the platform, because they don't really have competition. Certainly, it is highly questionable if many countries would be able to support a linux specific player at a competitive price.

[timnwells]

I'm not entirely convinced...

The problem is tax compliant accounting software is highly specialised and requires highly specialised, non-natural geek skills, like a detailed knowledge of the tax rules. It is also quite high maintenance as it needs to be updated as the tax rules change and evolve. Add to that, it tends to be nation specific, and you often find that there isn't much of a market for more than one or two players in many countries.

This means that those few players there are can, essentially, dictate the platform, because they don't really have competition. Certainly, it is highly questionable if many countries would be able to support a linux specific player at a competitive price.

I do see your point.

But are you saying there is no hope for Linux as a business workstation?

[frantaylor]

I do see your point.

But are you saying there is no hope for Linux as a business workstation?

Why not use Linux on the desktop and fire up a virtual machine for the (hopefully few) times that you need to run Windows.

Or better yet get a mac and you can run all three at once. Opt-out of the whole OS flame war. Choose the best tools for the job and know that you can have them all at your disposal.

[mirv]

It may be a lot to do with perception, but I can't help but feeling sympathetic to the situation of the accountant. He has used MYOB or Quickbooks for a long time as they are the most popular accounting systems in Australia. He knows them, he understands them. I might be able to find a decent Linux based accounting system, but it would take too long for him to learn to use it.. etc etc

This. Right here. It's not the underlying OS that's the issue - it's the training of people in using the software package.
There's also the case of company add-ons - here I refer mostly to MSOffice, where each company has templates and/or macros for letter headers, page layouts, etc etc etc - that might have to changed, redone, and again people have to know where to find and how to use them.
This kind of software isn't just a piece of software, it's a whole infrastructure: teaching books, TAFE courses, customer support, the whole works, and these things don't like changing unless there's sufficient motivation (which in the end means saving lots of money, or making lots of money).

[timnwells]

Why not use Linux on the desktop and fire up a virtual machine for the (hopefully few) times that you need to run Windows.

Or better yet get a mac and you can run all three at once. Opt-out of the whole OS flame war. Choose the best tools for the job and know that you can have them all at your disposal.

Fine for me but the concept of "virtual" machines is not something that your everyday business workstation user is going to be familiar with.

They want to start an application, not start an app, launch a virtual machine, wait for it to boot, then start another app.

[timnwells]

This. Right here. It's not the underlying OS that's the issue - it's the training of people in using the software package.
There's also the case of company add-ons - here I refer mostly to MSOffice, where each company has templates and/or macros for letter headers, page layouts, etc etc etc - that might have to changed, redone, and again people have to know where to find and how to use them.
This kind of software isn't just a piece of software, it's a whole infrastructure: teaching books, TAFE courses, customer support, the whole works, and these things don't like changing unless there's sufficient motivation (which in the end means saving lots of money, or making lots of money).

If you reading a book or doing a course on MYOB, you should be learning how to use myob, not how to use the OS. I don't see that training needs to change all that much if the applications function the same regardless of OS.

[mirv]

If you reading a book or doing a course on MYOB, you should be learning how to use myob, not how to use the OS. I don't see that training needs to change all that much if the applications function the same regardless of OS.

My comment was aimed more at developing competing software, but as you've written that, let's not forget that there are slight tweaks that may be different (from key bindings to printing) and the company will have to offer support for it.
I'm quite sure there would be a version of MYOB for Linux if desktop use took off, but I can't see them investing money into it before then - they wouldn't get enough of a return.