[Ilugc] foss hardware workshop at Ooty
- From: kapil@xxxxxxxxxxx (Kapil Hari Paranjape)
- Date: Sat Aug 30 07:45:03 2008
Hello,
On Fri, 29 Aug 2008, Sarad AV wrote:
I think people go to a cyber cafe for more than browsing. when
you dependent on MS office to get your work done and download
microsoft supported formats, it is best to have a windows machine
unless the cafe owners want to loose (some) customers.
It is possible to use OpenOffice for most MS Office type jobs without
the customer feeling any significant difference in use.
Additionally, there is always Google Docs.
In my (limited) experience, the requirements of most users of
"cyber-cafe" installations are met adequately by GNU/Linux. However,
one needs to ensure that the sysadmin of the cyber-cafe is:
a. sufficiently familiar with use of the tools that the customer
is going to use. (Firefox, OpenOffice, ...) Most users are going
to turn to her/him for help in any case!
b. can update/install the system if/when required.
This is precisely what the workshop addressed.
There will *always* be users whose specialised needs will not be met
by cyber-cafes --- even when these cafes run Windows! For example,
are you sure that a file created on one version of MS Office will
work with another version of the same program?
Finally, if you keep on insisting that the "general customer's
needs" can only be met by installing Windows, then (according to
you) those who are putting in a lot of effort to replace Windows by
GNU/Linux on the desktop should probably pack up their bags and go
somewhere else!
Regards,
Kapil.
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