Re: [LUG] Farseer enterprises

[Julian Hall <linux@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Rob Beard wrote:

> I've been playing around with Suse 9.1 these past couple of days.  I guess it 
> depends on if your friend wants to just supply some CDs/DVD or a boxed product 
> with manuals.
>
> My experiences of Suse have been pretty good these past couple of days, but I 
> think that some new users who aren't computer literate might prefer to go down 
> the Windows route as they can go out and buy things like Easy PC and any PC 
> computer magazine and run the software from the cover discs.
>
> I've experienced a new user first hand, my ex girlfriend couldn't stand Linux 
> because she couldn't use Windows programs on it.  Basicly she didn't have the 
> patience to sit down and work it out like I have.
>
> Still would be a good idea to maybe offer the customers a choice of Linux or 
> Windows, and suggest they try Linux for a month or two, and if they don't get 
> on with it, offer them an OEM version of Windows XP?
>
> Rob
How about the best of both worlds?  Mandrake 10 with the latest WINE 
compiled on it?  Most Windows programs have a native Linux variant for 
the same function these days, and in general the normal "user" doesn't 
have the slightest interest what goes on under the bonnet in my 
experience.  So give them a GUI (KDE or Gnome) instead of Windows and 
you'd be unlucky if they can tell the difference.

Open Office instead of Microsoft Office
Any email client that is handy
Any browser
(although I go for Firefox and Thunderbird for the last two)
Kopete instead of AIM, YIM, ICQ etc
TheGIMP for graphics

If the user in question DOES have some esoteric function that Linux 
doesn't have yet, then:

a) It's only a matter of time until it will.
b) WINE may be able to run it instead.  I'm not sticking my neck out to 
say it *will*, I'm not that dumb :)

As a newbie to Linux I went for Mandrake because it was pitched as the 
flavour for newbies.  It runs out of the box and gives all the functions 
that a Windows installation does, plus all the other programs usually 
bought separately, such as those listed above.  I'm now on my 4th 
Mandrake iteration and loving it still :)

Kind regards,

Jules

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