Re: Microsoft Office to Linux

[Adam Tauno Williams <adam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>>Here's a Win2K article I found interesting...
>Slashdot had something on this back on Aug 16th.
>http://slashdot.org/articles/00/08/16/1815242.shtml
>I for one will believe it when I see it.
>I've noticed that Microsoft can be rather reactive - rather than proactive.

I for one do NOT believe it.  The way I read one of the press releases is that
MainSoft had the option to port a given application if M$ gave them permission. 
So it legally "could" happen, but nothing that seemed to say it "was" happening. 

I personally wouldn't care much if they did, the issue is that M$-Office is not
a good cost-benefit product for the average user.  I use a word processor MAYBE
10 minutes a day, is that worth $250-$450 dollars a year?  I don't think most
user's really use WP/SP applications that much.  Thier in order entry, inventory
control application, point-of-sale, shipping/recieving applications 90% or
greater, or else your business won't be around long.

>Look at the announcement of their X-Box game console right when Sony is
>getting the PlayStation 2 out the door. It puts a little more FUD out
>there.
>This, if it's true, is certainly a reaction to StarOffice which is getting
>better all the time. I've even seen HP, Gateway and  Emachine putting it on
>some low end machines. This has got to bother Bill Gates.

Star Office is good, how fast it gets ripped apart by the Gnome wolf pack is
important.  If they can start showing results by year end then it will start to
worry Bill.  Right now it is too monolithic and un-integrated to other system
services to really show up M$-Office.   I'm not so certain that Bill is all that
worried about Linux, he's got Active Directory which could very well be the
Linux killer.  WinY2K desktops only really shine when in an AD enabled network,
and thus REQUIRE WinY2k servers, which only really interoperate with other
WinY2k server.  By creating a tighter bond between the client and the server M$
could squeeze Linux out of the picture.  I'd give them 2 chances out of 3 if I
were a betting man.

Systems and Network Administrator
Morrison Industries
1825 Monroe Ave NW.
Grand Rapids, MI. 49505