[svlug] svlug Digest, Vol 317, Issue 53

[Clyde Jones]

On 1/31/07, svlug-request at lists.svlug.org <svlug-request at lists.svlug.org> wrote:
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 8
> Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 17:54:42 -0800 (PST)
> From: Joel Seidman <joel_seidman at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [svlug] Recommended distribution for a small business?
> To: svlug at lists.svlug.org
>
> Ubuntu is very good. I have a friend who works for a
> small S/W development company where most of
> the employees use it. I haven't heard about any
> complaints.
>
> But (just playing devil's advocate here), even though
> their s/w products are Linux-hosted, and the
> management is very much Linux friendly...
>
> they have at least one Windows computer, on which
> they do accounting (and maybe other stuff). Why?
> They use Quickbooks, which apparently is some kind of
> quasi standard for small business
> accounting. My friend used it at the last three
> offices she worked at. It is part of accounting
> curricula in schools. (I've heard there is Linux-
> based accounting software, but not apparently of
> the stature of Quickbooks.)
>
> They also had some issues with OO compatibility with
> Excel and Word. They need to process those
> files occasionally when interfacing with vendors
> and/or customers.
>
> It would be real interesting to know if there are
> examples of business offices that completely cut
> the MS cord and are thriving. It would be great if
> all the employees were enthusiasts willing to
> deal with problems, but the reality is many employees
> could care less, and want to minimize
> learning of new technology to do their jobs.
>
> BTW, no one brought up the issue of remote
> management, especially for software installations and
> maintenance. With just two computers it's no big
> deal. But as (if?) the business grows to dozens
> and hundreds of workstations, you don't want to be
> doing this one at a time. I don't know what
> tools Ubuntu includes to support this, but it might
> be a question to ask.
>
> -- Joel
>

Thanks for the input everyone.
I do have a few years of linux administration under my belt, I have
been running a linux server for my home network for ~10 years and I
supported *nix boxes (and everything else) for Johns Hopkins
University.

I just don't have a lot of experience with "user-friendly" distro and
this is my first foray into IT for small buisnesses.  Everything I
have done previously was support for large businesses.

The business buying the computers is a medical office, so they have
one large Windows server that runs the medical information
application, with client software on the PC's.  Everything else they
do is basic word processing or spreadsheets, so that should be fine
for Ubuntu.

I will figure out what Ubuntu has for remote access, but I was
planning on just using vnc over ssh for things.  They don't have much
in the way of network access.

-- 
Two Wrongs don't make a Right
But Three Left's Do

Clyde Jones