[ubuntu-uk] Want to create an advert for Ubuntu?

[gazz]

On Mon, 2010-12-06 at 21:48 +0000, Joe Metcalfe wrote:


> The main difficulties I have had in reading MS files on Linux is with MS
> Publisher (though I don't have Publisher in my Windows copy of MS Office
> either!) and with macros in PowerPoint (dynamic content in 3rd part
> educational files).
> 
> Joe

MS Publisher files can be sort of converted if you can spare half an
hour of fiddling around per file and the result isn't marvellous; macros
in any part of the MS Office suite don't open properly in OOo. MS Access
is relied upon by much of the UK voluntary sector and it doesn't
migrate. PaintShop files are a pain too and most Windows users have
various proprietary Windows platform apps which don't migrate formats at
all and don't run properly on WINE.  

However, I agree with the general point that most Windows users face
bigger limitations on what proprietary formats they can open without
buying every proprietary app on the planet (given that Linux at least
favours open standards). 

It's probably about 80% perception but there's still maybe 20% real
migration issues to be dealt with. Windows users are strenuously trained
to think of their OS as 'standard' and anything else as weird and
troublesome (although one might easily see this as an actual inversion
of reality). However, whilst many proprietary Windows formats do open
without any issues on many Linux distros, users will still run into
migration problems with mainstream formats which either don't convert at
all or which require significantly technically-savvy intervention to
migrate to Linux. Even setting up WINE is pushing it for the average
mainstream Windows user - although it's like rolling off a log for
experienced Ubuntu users. Most orgs are also going to end up with a
peripheral or two that's a brick on Ubuntu. 

I've been doing hands-on FOSS advocacy in the voluntary sector for the
best part of a decade and experience teaches me that it's a mistake to
gloss over the real issues in migrating from any Windows OS to any Linux
distro. What's important is to get across the concept of open standards
and to help the user understand that it isn't Linux' 'weirdness' causing
the issues but use of closed standards in proprietary software and to
explain that once they have made a successful migration to Ubuntu, they
will experience *fewer* issues with cross-compatibility in the future. 

For a proportion of Windows users, though, the barriers will honestly
still be too high for their resources - at least for the time being.
Especially users who rely on being able to open and edit proprietary
apps send by Windows users. Although times change and organisations who
once couldn't see their way to migrating are looking at it again in the
current climate. 

When I'm advocating Ubuntu with voluntary orgs, I don't really refer to
technical issues beyond giving them (what I consider to be) a sensible
overview of real and imaginary migration issues - I focus, instead, on
simplicity, resistance to slow-down and choking due to malware,
community ownership (which really appeals), keeping the economy local,
longevity of hardware, ease of installing peripherals, standardisation
of software used for photos, scanning etc etc, ease of maintaining a
properly-installed system for non-techies. And it's *pretty*! 

If you gloss over migration issues, you will forfeit trust when users do
experience problems. I prefer to support people migrating with their
eyes open and wait for the more nervous Windows users to go through the
emotional and practical issues involved for them and their organisation
in their own time. We'll be here when they're ready :) 

Paula
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