[olug] How's Running a Linux Desktop at Work?

[Jeff Hinrichs - DM&T]

 Q) If you have multiple machines which is the primary?
 A) I have a single Core Duo with 2GB running VMWare server - XP is the base

 Q) Are you actually allowed to run Linux on your desktop or are you
running "under the radar"?
 A) Allowed

 Q) Did you install Linux or did come that way from your tech group?
 A) Both since I am a part of the tech group

 Q) Are you encouraged, allowed or just tolerated?
 A) Allowed

 Q) How many people have you been able to convert?
 A) None outside of the tech group as yet.  The primary application,
Accounting, is Win specific (GP Dynamics) so hope for getting CSR's
and marketing is thin currently.  However there is hope for
specialized segments to be able to do so, since we've been developing
internal applications that are browser based and OS agnostic.

 Q) What are you running?
 A) Primary - XP, Secondary - FreeBSD6.1 w/GNOME 2.14, PC-BSD, Ubuntu

 Q) What has been the biggest challenge in going to Linux?
 A) Applications, specifically one generated by Microsoft.  Our
accounting software is the center piece of the biz, everything touches
it or is influenced by it all the way out to the web site.  But since
it runs MS-SQL we can get data from it with practically any
language(Python, PHP) and OS (Most of our servers run FreeBSD).

 Q) Thing that most suprises people about your desktop?
 A) It's usability.  Most people think only cartoonish nerds could use
FOSS, but when they see it in action -- they realize that is an
incorrect assumption.   I always think of the teen age girl from
Jurassic Park.

Sidenote: I really like the clean look that Ubuntu has developed for
their desktop.  I use it as a model as I refine my GNOME on BSD.  Not
trying to start  holy war - I run linux too.



On 7/31/06, Aaron Grothe <ajgrothe at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hey All,
>
>  I've been curious about this for a while.  How many people are running a LInux desktop at work?  My primary workstation at work is running Linux (with a Citrix session to handle exchange).  Actually this is my only work desktop as my Windows box needs to be reimaged again.
>
>  Here are the questions combined with my answers:
>
>  Q) If you have multiple machines which is the primary?
>  A) In my case the Linux box comes first with the Microsoft Windows box being needed for a few apps.
>
>  Q) Are you actually allowed to run Linux on your desktop or are you running "under the radar"?
>  A) Under the Radar officially, but it is a pretty well known secret.
>
>  Q) Did you install Linux or did come that way from your tech group?
>  A) I did the installs myself.
>
>  Q) Are you encouraged, allowed or just tolerated?
>  A) Tolerated
>
>  Q) How many people have you been able to convert?
>  A) A handful, our new virus scanner and spysweeper software pretty much kill any PC, generating a lot of interest in Linux.  Probably have gotten about 5-10 people to have a second desktop machine with Linux.  A lot of second generations PCs are running Linux around work :-)
>
>  Q) What are you running?
>  A) Kubuntu 5.05 currently, might flip back to Suse later.  This has been a Suse 10/FC4/Kubuntu 5.05 box.  Pretty much have just settled on Kubuntu and gotten back to work.
>
>  Q) What has been the biggest challenge in going to Linux?
>  A) Applications, Oracle jinitator currently doesn't run under Wine and Exchange is a pain in the buttocks.
>
>  Q) Thing that most suprises people about your desktop?
>  A) EIther the ability to run IE 6 with ies4linux and wine or the ability to use Citrix and RDP to be able to connect to the unholy machines.  The ability to tab consoles with konsole usually also manages to get a knowing nod.
>
>  Regards,
>
>  Aaron
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-- 
Jeff Hinrichs
Dundee Media & Technology, Inc
jeffh at dundeemt.com
402.320.0821