Linux or Windows?

[robintw]

Hi,

These days, most people who use computers have just been taught 'which buttons to press' to get the job done. Using this knowledge, they manage to get their work done. Most people, are also taught to use Windows. Surely, It would make no difference to them if they were taught to use Linux with KDE or Gnome. They could still be taught in the same way, and, if it was nessecary, they could save to windows file formats (eg. .doc or .xls) using something like OpenOffice.

Surely this would be a lifesaver for companies struggeling for money who cannot afford to buy lots of Windows licenses. They could just train the secretaries etc to use KDE not Windows.

What do you think?

Am I talking a lot of nonsense (it happens quite a lot! :-)) or do people agree?

Robin

[DiGiTaIErRoR]

Who's going to train them? Lots of people already have Windows skills that are easy to build onto.

Who's going to fix the problems, what do you think is more expensive to hire? The Linux tech is, there aren't many of them, and they're in demand for bigger business where they monitor/service linux servers. There are more Windows sauvy techs, they can be hired cheaper. Software costs are mostly a one-time thing. Companies don't typically like to upgrade without a good reason. Paying the salary of those techs becomes the large majority of the cost.

[Ideas Man]

When you get your basic Windows skills, you can practically teach yourself how to be a system administrator, I did. Can't do that with Linux though i did try.

Like DiGiTaIErRoR said, there are heaps of Windows techies around and there are lots who will give you very detailed advice for nothing.

The expenses of going down the Windows path far outweight the expenses of going down the Linux path IMO. Like WIndows is relativly expensive up front, but from that initial cost, Windows is practically free for money and frustration. Linux is the other way round, free to get but expensive to learn and software and hardware issues etc.

Personal preference plays it's part in it as well.

Because Windows has that added bonus of being complex but very easy for the end user, the initial costs far outweight the purchasing price.

[Pc_Madness]

But then you have the consistent security issues and the fact that they only support an OS for about 4 years with windows..

[visualAd]

Not another Linux v's Windows thread.

One can save a lot of money using Linux. It's great for servers and easy to learn. I'm not going to comment on the desktop Linux as I rarely use Linux in a desktop capacity.

Windows is very easy to learn for the beginne and the user expects nothing less than every peice of hardware and software to work - great for beginners - but the security implications are obvious and this makes Windows bloated.

Linux techs a lot harder to come accross because Linux is ood at minding its own business and just doing its job, Windows needs its hand held through everything.

WIMP server: (Windows IIS Mysql PHP)
LAMP server: (Linux Apache Mysql PHP)

Now that makes perfect sense