Linux for a nonprofit org to be easy to switch 5228

There are a couple of other things in recent days. I just read something yesterday where the writer said he installed Linux in the public workstations in a library, provided Open Office and abiword and gnumeric and has had zero complaints. And there is an item in Groklaw today - in the main thread, not in the sidebar - giving early results on a European migration project. If you have to search for it look for Carlo Daffara, but here's an extract from the posting. He says they are using a two-step strategy, first putting open source software on Windows and then migrating to Linux.

"They found that a number of simple steps encourage user acceptance. For example, just changing the default application for .doc, .xls, and .ppt to OpenOffice.org resulted in significantly faster user acceptance of OOo.org, even when Microsoft Office was simultaneously available. Interestingly, the study was in OOo 1.1.x, not in the just-released and improved 2.0, yet acceptance and voluntary switching to OpenOffice.org was a marked finding. He explains how to solve font issues, how to make use of hardware too old for XP by making the switch to GNU-Linux, offers links to tools and notes four significant technologies he's found useful in easing the stress of a large-scale migration. They also have developed some training materials for OOo in flash and sxi format that is available under a Creative Commons license."

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jhhaynes at earthlink dot net