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Re: Fwd: [TCLUG:352] Promoting Linux to businesses



In response to Mike's promo ideas:
Yes I do work at Honeywell. Currently we do not have any Linux machines
running. (besides on my desktop). I am doing my darndest to get Linux some
respect in our little IS world, but it's not easy. The biggest obstacle I
face is the lack of knowledge about Linux. It is often referred to as a
hacker's OS, and not something an IS manager wants running their systems.
The big push from the 'suits' upstairs at Honeywell is for a homogenous
environment. They think Microsoft is the answer. Microsoft is not bad for
the desktop environment, but that's it. (And even that is questionable when
you factor in the price of the OS) I just want to know how anyone can run
server application on a server that needs to be rebooted every time you
make a system change. (I would love to argue this with anyone who thinks
differently)

Yes there are many places running Linux in their shops, but it's not
something they want to advertise. From my experiences, Linux has a bad name
in the IS business. It thought of a a toy and not something a business is
run on. We all know this is not true, but it's hard to change people's
minds without them getting first-hand experience. That's what I'm trying to
do, but it's not easy.

But there is another problem that hinders Linux in the IS world. The lack
of technical support. Oh sure, most of the time you can post a question to
the Linux community and get a response back quicker than a support call to
Sun, but that's not what management wants to see. They want to see the
reliable service contracts that cost thousands per month with big-name
companies, like Sun, HP, etc. This is a security blanket for the company.
And that, in my opinion,  is the biggest problems Linux faces today.

Getting back to Mike's ideas, I think it would be great to try and promote
Linux to companies. Unfortunately it's not an easy task, if it's even
possible. Big business have too much other stuff to worry about. They're
not going to be interested in changing their OS's to something that hasn't
been proven and is written by a bunch of hackers.....and doesn't run WORD.

Clay


The views and opinions expressed above are strictly those of the author. In
no way are the ideas shared with anyone else, including Clay's employer,
co-workers, brothers, sisters, parents, or (soon-to-be) wife.



> Subject: [TCLUG:352] Promoting Linux to businesses
> Date: Sun, 07 Jun 1998 20:54:28 +0000
> From: Michael Hicks <hick0088@tc.umn.edu>
>
> I was thinking about this (maybe I'm just trying to avoid studying for
> finals :)  What companies should we try to promote Linux _to_?  I think
> some people were thinking of 3M, though I have a feeling that they run
> it already..  Any others that may be interested?
>
> Also, I was thinking that if we can find enough companies that are at
> least relatively well-known to do some print ads in local newspapers
> saying, "We run Linux, maybe you should too."  Anyway, it's a thought..
>
> I suppose a lot of this stuff would be put on mostly just for the
> 'suits,' as a lot of companies probably already use Linux..  However,
> I'm sure there are a _lot_ of places thinking "Well, we'd like to see
> what Linux can do.."
>
> But anyway..
>
> Um..  Does Clay work at Honeywell?  I remember he works at some place at
> least similar in name.  How much recognition of Linux is there in the
> higher levels out there?  If I remember correctly, it was being used in
> a lot of SMB servers..
>
> Anyway, post any ideas, comments, flames, etc..
>
> Mike Hicks
>
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** Clayton T. Fandre      cfandre@dacmail.net    **
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