Linux in the office

80%-95% of office workers need only very basic capabilities from their P.C.

E-Mail Word Processing Spread Sheet Presentations light drawing Web Browsing

This is why the Network Computer was proposed. Linux could easily do this.

Actually, more than just email. They need scheduling and contact management, both of which Outlook do quite well (along with Exchange for enterprise scheduling, something which still hasn't fully materialized in the Linux world yet).

Yes, but which 'basic capabilities'? Ask any 10 users which features they use most and you'll probably get 5 of the same answers and 5 different answers from each user.

Again, what's basic? Complex formulas and scripting are almost required for most of the people that use Excel.

What presentation software is there?

Visio is a very important tool to many people.

Yes, but lots of companies need IE compatibility.

No, the network computer was the thin client, something that has proven not to work well except in situations where users primarily use a single app (such as call center, or order entry).

What is missing from Applixware or KWord??

What is missing from Applixware or KSpread?

Applixware, Koffice

What is -IE- compatibility? SUpposedly IE is 'standards complient'. Linux has mozilla, netscape, konqueror...

This is why Word is so good. For most people, Word is a big bloated thing that contains a bunch of crap they don't need, *and* it also contains just the features they need. For any given user, what falls in the 'bloat' category and what falls in the 'essential' category is different, but pretty much everyone finds what they need in there.

Uhm...it's not nice to try to kill people. (I assume you mentioned Netscape because you are trying to make him die laughing).

Konqueror, on the other hand, is awesome. If someone would port it to Windows, I'd use it there instead of IE. On the same hardware, it displays most pages about twice as fast as IE.

All of the above applications are available. I use Star office under windows and am very happy with it. But there others office suites (Applix, Koffice) which I am not familiar with.

The problem why i cannot move to Linux is a solid CRM. (Goldmine, Act, Maximizer, Siebel,etc) I see a lot of projects being started but there is nothing available now of any substance. If there was, i would move to Linux immediatley and take with me a lot of user (Employees, Business associates etc)

Any office needs *at least* these pieces, but in addition, there's almost always some vertical application that they need as well.

Bookkeepers needs bookkeeping software. Doctors and nurses need software for keeping medical records, displaying x-rays, etc. Support personnel need software for recording support calls and dispatching support personnel. Procurement needs software for inventory and requisitions.

Practically any department has some specialized application that they need.

Banal - BSD Linux General Ledger

Medical Office and Manage.MD (medical billing office software)

... depends on what you mean. If you mean display of x-rays that have already been captured, that is easily done with graphics packages. If you mean capturing from a device (CT, MRI, PET) and display, these are suctom apps that could be ported if they are not already available.

Many of these are custom apps that have been writen in-house or comissioned. Many can be ported. I tend to think these apps are available for LinUx/Unix.

That can probably be ported if its not avaiable.

And Linux can handle them.

I have seen it. And I have seen it being used. Frankly, those who use it should be shot, burnt, and their ashes scattered in the wind. I have not yet come across a tool that makes a better job of enticing bad layouts.

Applix is better, trust me.

I use Dia myself.

The place I have started working recently uses IE everywhere. Nevertheless, browser driven applications on the intranet are required to comply with open standards, not IE. The idea is: Softtware can change overnight, but our data will not.