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Tamil Nadu state departments asked to switch over to open source software

thehindu.com

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Re: Tamil Nadu state departments asked to switch over to open source software

#41

Post by keithpeter »

A number of comments here are pointing out the considerable barriers to migration away from Microsoft based systems; back end systems; file compatibility with MS Office formats; training needs for significantly different interfaces on a 'desktop' system.

The UK govts recent suggestion that we require open formats may begin to address one of those issues [1]. The move to more recent browser mediated applications might mitigate another. A new generation will have grown up with devices that probably don't run Windows [2] and that might reduce the training issues associated with UI changes.

Can I turn the question round: how many decades do we think that the default systems for large enterprises and governments will be provided by Microsoft?

And if a country as huge as India with a developed IT workforce of the kind India has decides to start a migration programme, the resulting pool of skilled people and working software (GPL Licensed software) would make future migrations that much easier. I personally wish the UK had a Munich or two simply so we can develop the skills here.

[1] http://opensource.com/government/14/2/uk-government-open-sta...

[2] http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2014/03/21/microsoft_sorgen...

Re: Tamil Nadu state departments asked to switch over to open source software

#42

Post by microtonal »

qwerta wrote: post #39
microtonal wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think that is true, especially for Windows 7. But there are other issues to consider. Windows 7 is from 2009 and is still supported until 2020 (!). There is no Linux distribution outside RHEL and probably SLES that provides such long support cycles. And even the comparison with RHEL is not really fair. New applications will continue to be compatible with Windows 7 for many years, while with RHEL you are mostl…

> supported until 2020 (!). There is no Linux distribution outside RHEL The RHEL derivates such as CentOS or Scientific Linux provide such long support. > that many existing Windows software doesn't work on Linux, compatibility of LibreOffice with Office documents, etc There is Wine which allows to run Windows programs on Linux just fine. I am still using Office 2000. Compatibility is also problem with newer Windows…

The RHEL derivates such as CentOS or Scientific Linux provide such long support.

By virtue of Red Hat. If Red Hat goes away, I'd be surprised if they can keep up that commitment. Besides that CentOS is now a Red Hat project.

There is Wine which allows to run Windows programs on Linux just fine. I am still using Office 2000.

Now try Office 2013. Last time I tried, not even CrossOver could run new Office versions without serious loss of functionality.

MS is changing UI every version and it requires retraining users and administrators.

Windows 7 is very similar to Windows XP. The same can't be said for e.g. GNOME 2 -> Unity or GNOME 2 -> GNOME 3.

Re: Tamil Nadu state departments asked to switch over to open source software

#43

Post by keithpeter »

kashif wrote: post #27
D9u wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some of the best hackers I know are in India, and they don't use Microsoft products... I'm talking truly gifted people. I myself am a BSD fanatic, but I recommend Linux based systems to all of my Windows using friends.

This might be because you are an Indian and the only hackers you know are Indian.

Which I read as the point that the parent post was making: India can 'pull itself up by its bootstraps' by using the pool of Linux/BSD oriented developers to help a large scale migration project thus further developing the skills base.

Re: Tamil Nadu state departments asked to switch over to open source software

#44

Post by eitally »

keithpeter wrote: post #41

A number of comments here are pointing out the considerable barriers to migration away from Microsoft based systems; back end systems; file compatibility with MS Office formats; training needs for significantly different interfaces on a 'desktop' system. The UK govts recent suggestion that we require open formats may begin to address one of those issues [1]. The move to more recent browser mediated applications might…

There have actually been quite a few public organizations that have migrated to Linux: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Linux_adopters

Re: Tamil Nadu state departments asked to switch over to open source software

#45

Post by nolok »

camus2 wrote: post #6
Oculus wrote: post #5

Aside from the city of Munich, are their any other governments that are using Linux as their main operating system?

the french "gendarmerie",a mix of military and police, moved their computers to Linux.

Our parliament, too

Re: Tamil Nadu state departments asked to switch over to open source software

#46

Post by ekianjo »

crdoconnor wrote: post #36
liquidwax wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

North Korea. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Star_OS

Even North Korea, they're still training them on office/windows: http://imgur.com/lQQGjyu (taken in a school in pyongsong, autumn last year)

This is probably just to make it look like they do learn stuff on computers, but the level of poverty in NK is so appalling I doubt they have computers in most schools.

Re: Tamil Nadu state departments asked to switch over to open source software

#47

Post by pessimizer »

microtonal wrote: post #42
qwerta wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> supported until 2020 (!). There is no Linux distribution outside RHEL The RHEL derivates such as CentOS or Scientific Linux provide such long support. > that many existing Windows software doesn't work on Linux, compatibility of LibreOffice with Office documents, etc There is Wine which allows to run Windows programs on Linux just fine. I am still using Office 2000. Compatibility is also problem with newer Windows…

The RHEL derivates such as CentOS or Scientific Linux provide such long support. By virtue of Red Hat. If Red Hat goes away, I'd be surprised if they can keep up that commitment. Besides that CentOS is now a Red Hat project. There is Wine which allows to run Windows programs on Linux just fine. I am still using Office 2000. Now try Office 2013. Last time I tried, not even CrossOver could run new Office versions witho…

>By virtue of Red Hat. If Red Hat goes away, I'd be surprised if they can keep up that commitment.

Why would Red Hat be going away?

>Now try Office 2013. Last time I tried, not even CrossOver could run new Office versions without serious loss of functionality.

Libreoffice exists, and is very adequate for a government agencies' typesetting needs.

>Windows 7 is very similar to Windows XP.

Windows 7 is also an old product that is being phased out in favor of 8 and 8.1.

>The same can't be said for e.g. GNOME 2 -> Unity or GNOME 2 -> GNOME 3.

What about GNOME 2 -> MATE or GNOME 2 -> Cinnamon?

Re: Tamil Nadu state departments asked to switch over to open source software

#48

Post by keithpeter »

eitally wrote: post #44
keithpeter wrote: post #41

A number of comments here are pointing out the considerable barriers to migration away from Microsoft based systems; back end systems; file compatibility with MS Office formats; training needs for significantly different interfaces on a 'desktop' system. The UK govts recent suggestion that we require open formats may begin to address one of those issues [1]. The move to more recent browser mediated applications might…

There have actually been quite a few public organizations that have migrated to Linux: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Linux_adopters

Ctrl-F and UK reveals no UK based examples on that pager. Alas. Once again, we risk missing out on a potential new market.

Re: Tamil Nadu state departments asked to switch over to open source software

#49

Post by fzltrp »

microtonal wrote: post #38
digisign wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are significant training cost assoc with windows 7,8, and later office vers as well. Xubuntu might be closer to XP in many respects.

I don't think that is true, especially for Windows 7. But there are other issues to consider. Windows 7 is from 2009 and is still supported until 2020 (!). There is no Linux distribution outside RHEL and probably SLES that provides such long support cycles. And even the comparison with RHEL is not really fair. New applications will continue to be compatible with Windows 7 for many years, while with RHEL you are mostl…

> There is no Linux distribution outside RHEL and probably SLES that provides such long support cycles.

The article talks about an indian, debian based distribution called BOSS[1]. No doubt the company providing it will be more than happy to also provide long term support, or easy migrations as part of a huge support contract with the indian government.

[1]: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bharat_Operating_System_Solut...

Re: Tamil Nadu state departments asked to switch over to open source software

#50

Post by TazeTSchnitzel »

liquidwax wrote: post #9
Oculus wrote: post #5

Aside from the city of Munich, are their any other governments that are using Linux as their main operating system?

North Korea. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Star_OS

In practice, the DPRK uses XP a lot. I base this off of the fact that in all the images of DPRK people using computers, they're all running XP.
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