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MS Office arrives on the Linux desktop (Part 4)
(conclusion)

Why bother?

Why all the excitement about being able to run MS Office on a Linux system? After all, isn't the goal to get away from Microsoft software? Well, yes . . . and . . . no.

Here are some of the reasons why I think this is a good thing . . .
  • It lets you read those pesky proprietary MS-formatted files that you constantly receive from friends and business associates.

  • Plus, you can edit those pesky files and send them back to their authors, knowing the recipients will still be able to read them. In other words, you can collaborate with your coworkers even though you are using Linux and they are using Windows. (Yes, I realize you can also ask that they use rtf files -- but have you ever tried to make this work in real life?)

  • It provides a convenient bridge to using Linux as an alternative OS, by letting you "fill in the gaps" with Windows programs.

  • Perhaps most important, it opens up the Linux desktop to thousands of useful programs which to date have only been able to run on Windows systems.
"Isn't this heresy?", you might ask. Well, that depends on your real motivations for using Linux. (Maybe the answer depends on whether you call your OS "Linux" or "GNU/Linux".)

Clearly, the ability to use existing Windows applications on today's and tomorrow's Linux operating systems implies the potential for significant cost savings for individuals, companies, educational institutions, and governments -- not to mention the likely improvements in system reliability, security, and freedom from viruses. But it comes at the cost of compromise, of mixing Linux and Windows programs, perhaps even using programs created by Microsoft (the "evil empire") -- of turning your system into a hybrid of open and proprietary software.

And won't this reduce the pressure on the Linux market (both individuals and companies) to produce open source replacements for the proprietary Windows applications?

Sure, but consider the alternative (the status quo): a nice looking Linux desktop with precious few applications competing with Windows and its tens of thousands of useful applications currently available -- and a Microsoft ready and willing to perpetuate its monopoly. Let's get real. If we want Linux to succeed on the desktop, the best chance is to give it a major boost by enabling it with the best applications available today, while simultaneously beginning to develop a complete set of both open source applications and proprietary applications that run natively on Linux. In fact, a rapidly growing number of Linux desktop users is the only way to get companies to justify the costs of developing such software.

Another potential objection: "Won't I become locked into a commercial supplier (CodeWeavers)?" Not likely, because most of the magic of CrossOver Office is due to Wine, an open source project which is now released under the GNU LGPL license. (Note: Wine's license has recently been changed to LGPL to help prevent it from being "hijacked" by commercial interests.)

A big benefit of Wine being licensed under LGPL, according to CodeWeavers' White is that it will benefit from receiving code contributions from hundreds of developers, including companies like CodeWeavers and their competitors. "Right now, if you go to CompUSA and buy a shrink-wrapped Windows app and try to run it on Linux under Wine, 7-8 times out of 10 it won't work," says White. "My goal is that by the end of 2002, that situation will be reversed."

What I really like about this

Although a number of upcoming Linux distributions (e.g. Lindows OS and Xandros, among others) have recently promised to offer similar capabilities, the beauty of what CodeWeavers has done with its CrossOver Office product is that it should work with virtually ANY Linux distribution. That makes it painless to try it out on your existing Linux system. You don't need to install some new (and possibly unstable or immature) distribution. And you won't become dependent on a single Linux vendor for the ability to run Windows apps on your system. Basically, you add it and it works -- right on top of your trusted and familiar favorite distro.

This an excellent example of the latest commercial Linux and open source software business paradigm: a combination of both open source and proprietary middleware and applications, on top of an open source multi-vendor supported operating system (Linux).

By making it simpler to use Windows software on Linux, CodeWeavers has knocked down a major barrier to the growth of the Linux desktop. This will help many organizations choose the power, flexibility, and value of the Linux desktop.

--- The end ---

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