[wplug] Selling Linux (WAS: Why I choose Linux)

[Coutch, Robert]

Maybe good points, maybe not - read on ..............................

Want AOL on Linux (the thought makes the hairs on my neck stand up), go to
http://www.yolinux.com/TUTORIALS/LinuxTutorialAOL.html

Can you believe it, an AOL client for Linux.

As for the Quicken, have you tried GNUcash?

If you must have MS products and/or Quicken, cross over may be your ticket.
Check out this:
http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/reviews/4405/1/

Now you can run MS-Office, Internet Explorer and Quicken.

Here's an article on other financial software and disscussions:
http://freshmeat.net/articles/view/269/

As for TurboTax - I could find no articles of success for this product
running on Linux.
But don't give up hope.

In the meantime, check out:
http://linuxtax.com/


I really opened a can of worms with this thread but it really got a
discussion going.

My main point was:

If you feel it's worth it to pay hundreds to thousands of dollars to get a
computer to do what I can for
almost free, that's your decision. It's a free country (more or less),
you're welcome to go ahead.

I'll use the cash I saved for something else, like the new Zaurus that's on
it's way.

My opinion is open-source so I can't claim my 2 cents, my opinion is free.
No charge to you :)

-Bob



-----Original Message-----
From: R.E.Coutch [mailto:coutchre at usaor.net]
Sent: Friday, February 14, 2003 1:44 PM
To: coutchre at tvratings.com
Subject: Re: [wplug] Selling Linux (WAS: Why I choose Linux)


Hello,

Good, valid points:-)

Paul


----- Original Message -----
From: "Elwin Green" <bekitemba at excite.com>
To: <wplug at wplug.org>
Sent: Friday, February 14, 2003 10:41 AM
Subject: [wplug] Selling Linux (WAS: Why I choose Linux)


>
>  --- On Wed 02/12,  < wplug-request at wplug.org > wrote:
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Coutch, Robert [mailto:Robert.Coutch at tvratings.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2003 1:03 AM
> To: WPLUG
> Subject: [wplug] Why I choose Linux
> <snip>
> >You can not run Windows programs on Linux (except in certain cases)
>
> ...if you're advocating with Windows users, those certain cases could be
decisive. From what I understand (I haven't used it)you CAN run the MS
Office suite on Linux with Codeweaver's Crossover Office. Has anyone here
tried it?
>
> > but
> >Linux has an equivalent for almost everything Windows has - except
> >it's FREE!
>
> ...Linux still does NOT have equivalents for some things which define many
people's computer use: e.g., AOL (see below), Quicken/TurboTax (personally,
if Intuit were to produce Quicken for Linux I'd BUY it in a heartbeat. Same
with TurboTax.)
>
> >Compare the cost of a Linux desktop machine vs. Windows.
>
> >1 - Windows XP home UPGRADE costs $100, the non-upgrade costs $200
> >but you
> >won't come close to Linux
> >    unless you buy XP Pro which costs $200 FOR THE UPGRADE and $300 >for
the
> >non-upgrade version.
>
> >     Red Hat 8.0 and other distributions can be downloaded for FREE >or
you
> >can pay ~$40 for the box and book.
>
> I'm not sure how important this is to the average Windows user, for the
simple reason that that the OS comes with the computer (and therefore SEEMS
to be free). I think the average Windows user is more likely to buy a new
machine (with the newest Windows included "free") than to upgrade the OS.
>
> However, even if said user does decide to upgrade OSes, downloading
redhat, or any other major distro, is hugely impractical for the large
number of people who still use dialup. Buying the $40 box would likely make
more sense....if he can find it. The same thing is true for large apps like
openoffice.
>
> >2 - You'll need to browse the internet and "do" email, play media
> >files and
> >view images. Both OS's have free tools.
>
> Maybe, but if your ISP doesn't do Linux, that doesn't matter. And, love it
or hate it, AOL is still the most widely-used ISP. More importantly, they're
the most well-known. I would guess the runners-up, in order, would be msn,
earthlink, and netzero/juno. Do any of them do Linux? If you're advocating
with Windows users, they'll need a way to get to the internet before they
can use those free tools.
>
> In short, as much as I like the idea of Linux, and as much as I believe in
its still-untapped potential, I think we need to recognize that its being
"free" isn't really a great selling point. First, because most people EXPECT
to pay for something of value (how much to pay is a different issue);
second, because there are costs that can't be measured with $ - namely, the
inherent pain of change (ANY change), and the time/effort required to learn
to do things as well in Linux as they do them in Windows (never mind
learning to do them better).
>
> Just my .02
>
> Elwin G.
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Join Excite! - http://www.excite.com
> The most personalized portal on the Web!
> _______________________________________________
> wplug mailing list
> wplug at wplug.org
> http://www.wplug.org/mailman/listinfo/wplug
>
_______________________________________________
wplug mailing list
wplug at wplug.org
http://www.wplug.org/mailman/listinfo/wplug