[ale] petition

[Geoffrey]

fgz wrote:
>>I've come to the conclusion that we need to get the word out. I've heard 
>>that the hold out states on the Microsoft trial want Microsoft to port 
>>Office to Linux.  I don't know about you, but I don't want Office taking 
>>my Linux box down.  I think the proper solution is for Microsoft to 
>>publish their file formats.  What do you folks think?  I want to get a 
>>petition going.  I've dead serious about this.
>>
> 
> Then... don't put it on your Linux box? :)

I won't.

> 
> My initial thought is that simply, if Office was ported over 
> to the Linux, it might become a quick (though not necessarily
> the best) way to get more people painlessly onto the Linux 
> desktop. The 'popular' but misguided perception being 'there 
> aren't any killer apps for the Linux desktop' now becomes 
> more and more moot when the other side's favorite office 
> package is now available as part of the comfort level 
> weening process. 

What?  Office is a killer app?  It's a piece of shit.

Port it to Linux and all you'll hear from Redmond is, it's crashing 
because of the OS.

Which would you rather have, Office on Linux or 4 or 5 office packages 
that can create/modify/display common file formats?  Not that I think 
office formats are good, but there's too many of them out there to start 
with something new.

> 
> Get them on Linux, let them see for themselves the other
> things available, let them discover that Office files will
> port over to SO (or whatever it has morphed to now)...
> they're now also hooked on THE alternate free OS, 
> they dump Office... and the rest is history.

Won't happen.  People are lazy.  If they've got office, they'll continue 
to use it.  Then, you still have the Microsoft monopoly.  But now, 
instead of an OS monopoly, it's a office monopoly, and you've extended 
to OTHER OS's.  NO, I don't want it.

> 
> Seriously, why should Linux remain only in the hands of
> the 'elite'? <g> This seems one way to get it more 
> mainstream, if that's indeed the ultimate goal.

It shouldn't and it doesn't have to.  Take SO or Applixware.  Either is 
perfectly as useable (if not more) as Office.  I've convinced my 60+ 
mother-in-law that she can get all she needs on Linux, so I'll be 
converting her win95 box soon.  Yeah, I know, it's scary, it is my 
mother-in-law.  But, all she does is Netscape browser and email.  So, 
there's nothing to it.  Click on the icon on the desktop to get 
connected, then open Netscape.  And now she's got a word processor, 
instead of notepad.  She's retired and not going to drop the cash for Word.

No, I don't want to extend the Office monopoly to more OS's.

> 
> -fgz
> 
> 
> 
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-- 
Until later: Geoffrey		esoteric at 3times25.net

"...the system (Microsoft passport) carries significant risks to users that
are not made adequately clear in the technical documentation available."
- David P. Kormann and Aviel D. Rubin, AT&T Labs - Research
- http://www.avirubin.com/passport.html


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