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Defenestrating Windows (Part 5)
(continuation)

Look ma: no Windows!

So here I am with my fully functional Linux system -- capable of serving my work-day needs -- and with a big smile on my face!

Looking back, I can say it's certainly been an interesting year. (For example, at one point I decided to see if I could successfully download and install the latest Linux kernel directly from kernel.org -- and I actually managed to get it working!)

Over the past year, Linux has made enormous strides. It's exciting to see a technology evolve so rapidly -- and even more exciting to imagine where Linux is likely to be a year from now.

A year ago, when asked if I thought Linux was ready for desktop business users, my answer was a definitive "not yet." Today, although I'm still not ready to give an unequivocal "yes," I have moved my answer up to "maybe."

Why "maybe"? From my own experience, I am convinced that it is now possible to set up a Linux-based system that is suitable for most business workstation purposes. However, as of today, you really can't just deposit an experienced PC user in front of a Linux system and expect everything to go smoothly. Although KDE, GNOME, Nautilus, Evolution, Abiword, OpenOffice, and Mozilla are rapidly closing the functionality gaps, Linux is simply not -- and never will be -- a Windows look-alike. There are numerous differences, both large and small. And many of these will persist.

On the other hand, if you're motivated to free yourself from dependence on Microsoft and its Windows OS, if you have a desire to learn or try something new, and if you have the patience to overcome the occasional problems that you're certain to encounter, then yes, it's definitely possible to get a Linux system working well enough to make it your daytime work environment.

--- The end ---



About the author: Rick Lehrbaum created LinuxDevices.com in November 1999 and, more recently, DesktopLinux.com. Rick has worked in the field of embedded systems since 1979. He co-founded Ampro Computers, founded the PC/104 Consortium, and was instrumental in launching the Embedded Linux Consortium.



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Approaching the Linux Desktop
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Migrating To Linux: Application Challenges and Solutions
Several solutions exist to help organizations migrate in an orderly fashion from Windows to Linux desktops. This paper establishes the characteristics of an ideal cross-platform solution and reviews these alternatives in light of this ideal standard. The paper takes a closer look at the pros and cons of various solutions and outlines the business benefits that can be achieved.

Linux Advantages: Publicly Available Information on Linux Software
This paper offers a brief summary of readily-available Linux information to help businesses sort out this widely misunderstood operating system.

Top 5 Strategies for Managing Linux
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Why Choose Novell for Linux?
This paper outlines the benefits of switching to the Linux platform and choosing Novell as a high-performance, enterprise solution.

Enterprise Linux Selection Guide
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SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 for Retail Businesses
Discover why major retailers have switched to SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop in the back office. SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 is a low-cost desktop that offers a complete set of productivity applications and interoperates seamlessly with the other Windows, Macintosh and UNIX desktops in your store.

Moving to a Linux Desktop
Migrating from Windows to Linux on the desktop can be a substantial undertaking because it has the potential for touching -- and perhaps disrupting -- every user in your organization. Unlike a data center (server and infrastructure) migration that is largely transparent to users, the cultural and administrative transitions and environment readiness required to support a Linux desktop migration are extensive.

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