begin oe_protect.scr
alt <spamtrap@xxxxxxxxxxxx> espoused:
> On Mon, 28 Aug 2006 22:15:32 +0100, Mark Kent wrote:
>
>> begin oe_protect.scr
>> alt <spamtrap@xxxxxxxxxxxx> espoused:
>>> On Sun, 27 Aug 2006 20:05:06 +0100, Roy Schestowitz wrote:
>>>
>>>> __/ [ jacob23@xxxxxxxxx ] on Sunday 27 August 2006 19:05 \__
>>>>
>>>>> www.mutiny.in
>>>>>
>>>>> The Financial Express website features an article where the Kerala
>>>>> State is thinking of moving to support open source completely. Unlike
>>>>> the ban on colas (The debate is still going on whether this is a good
>>>>> thing or bad thing) this could actually be good news apart from
>>>>> promoting the use of open source software it could help in making the
>>>>> public in general aware about the availability of non-proprietary
>>>>> software which is freely available.
>>>>>
>>>>> Piracy is a big issue in India plus there is a lack of proper
>>>>> information available on the use of proprietary software. The biggest
>>>>> plus point is that it will be promoted in schools. It is easier to
>>>>> teach children to use computers even if it is a bit complicated, since
>>>>> they are able to grasp and learn thing faster. Plus it could have a
>>>>> cascading effect on the public in general. Below are some of the
>>>>> comments by certain DIGG users.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm glad to see advancement of such open source technology. The
>>>>> internet is a good community, and introducing more people into only
>>>>> further advances the community. Unfortunately with windows, there
>>>>> really isn't much a community because it is closed source.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Why should the government pay some set amount for every single
>>>>> computer simply to have an operating system, when an OS (and almost
>>>>> all necessary software) can be had for free. Most people are simply
>>>>> learning to use the word processor, cruising the Internet for
>>>>> information. For programming, Linux has almost too many options for
>>>>> learning languages, old and new. If you want to learn MS Windows
>>>>> later, then buy a copy. It's hardly difficult to learn. I highly doubt
>>>>> any school is teaching very much about Windows system management (to
>>>>> the general student pop), as any system administrator worth his salt
>>>>> wouldn't allow them to be used with the admin accounts.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> One of the main hindrances for Linux has been the immense popularity
>>>>> of windows which is used by around 90 % of the people worldwide. Linux
>>>>> brings with a stereotype or phobia that it is meant only for geeks.
>>>>> The UbuntuLinux is a good example of user friendliness in Linux. Apart
>>>>> from being freely available for downloading you can even ask them
>>>>> freely post it by Snail mail from https://shipit.ubuntu.com/ to your
>>>>> house with Zero Rupees being spent. All you have to is register and
>>>>> put your Postal Address. The Cds usually take about a month or so to
>>>>> arrive. I myself have used this service to get the Ubuntu Cds. You can
>>>>> order multiple copies so that you can share it with other people.
>>>>>
>>>>> www.mutiny.in
>>>>
>>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerala
>>>>
>>>> ,----[ Quote ]
>>>> | Population (2001)
>>>> | - Density 31,838,619 (12th)
>>>> | - 819/km²
>>>> `----
>>>>
>>>> Who's next? Canada maybe?
>>>
>>> Canada will go only when the US ceases to be worth 75%-80% of our
>>> exports or the US switches to Open formats. In business (and pretty much
>>> everything else), we follow the US.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> I suspect that Canada will move in the same way as the rest of the G8,
>> ie., by politicians and local people wanting their local governments to
>> not pay foreign powers for the privilege of accessing their own data. Once
>> this realisation has been made, the rest is relatively easy.
>
> The problem is that our economy is so tightly tied to the US economy that
> if a US company wants documents in Microsoft's proprietary formats, then
> we really don't have a choice in the matter.
You have some choice, I think - MS Word is a very dangerous choice for
commercially-sensitive documents, due to the file format which can
contain unexpected and unintended information; PDF is a much better
format, far safer, and can be read by anyone. OO can even write it
natively. Corporate lawyers are likely to have some view on this.
>
>
>>
>> If it's necessary to keep an odd copy of MS Windows and MS Office to talk
>> to the legacy folks in the US, I'm sure Canadians will be up to the job.
>
> Yep. OOo is really good for that too. I routinely transfer docs in
> Word/Excel format to US parties.
>
That's probably the best solution :-)
--
| Mark Kent -- mark at ellandroad dot demon dot co dot uk |
If you push the "extra ice" button on the soft drink vending machine, you won't
get any ice. If you push the "no ice" button, you'll get ice, but no cup.
|
|
