[luau] problems switching from MS to Linux

[MonMotha]

Thomas David Burns wrote:
> Here's a message I just got from a friend of mine:
> 
> --- quote ---
> I have my system set up as a triple boot system: Windows/Linux/QNX.  It 
> works just fine.  However, I find that I spend most of my time under 
> Windows because of three reasons:
> 1.  Classwork is required to be turned in in Microsoft Word format.
> 2.  The simulation software we use in my class runs only under Windows.
> 3.  When I try to read my email under Linux, it works, but it is unable 
> to read almost all of the Mime formats.  I am assuming this is because 
> there is something Microsoft specific in the messages I receive.  I 
> have tried all the Linux email readers I could find; all have the same 
> limitation.
> --- end quote ---
> 
> 1. according to 
> <http://searchsolaris.techtarget.com/qna/0,289202,sid12_gci831653,00.htm
> l>, StarOffice is capable of saving in MS Word format. My impression is 
> that OpenOffice also interoperates with MS formats, am I right? I 
> really don't use word processors any more.
> 
> 2. WINE or VMWare might be options. 
> 
> 3. I have no idea.
> 
> Any other ideas, inputs?
> 
> Diligent Dave

Actually, this is one of the biggest problems Linux users face: 
proprietary software.  There's really nothing that can be done about 
this since emulating the windows APIs is slow and difficult as they're 
poorly documented.

The MIME problems stems from this.  I assume he means that he doesn't 
have a reader installed for said formats (of course you can't read 
audio/ms-audio or whatever it is, you don't have WMP!).

Really, the solution is not to put a band aid on the problem, but rather 
fix it.  The first one is easy.  There are several formats that are 100% 
word compatible (RTF comes to mind) but are easily parsable by 
applications other than Office.  Unless you need really oddball 
formatting Rick Text Format (RTF) should work fine, and most likely the 
prof won't even notice (other than the file being about 1/4 the size) 
since windows defaults to having file extensions turned off!

The other two are more difficult.  Lobby for open standards, use 
PostScript or even PDF for all I care.  At least I have a viewer for 
those formats.  #2 is pretty much a no-go.  The only option is to get 
the company who makes it to remake the software for Linux, which won't 
happen any time soon.  Write them a letter requesting that they port it 
(if enough people........), then shell out $300 for a Windows liscense, 
because that's what you're going to need.

--MonMotha
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 252 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://lists.freesoftwarehawaii.org/pipermail/luau-freesoftwarehawaii.org/attachments/20021209/a77396e5/attachment-0001.pgp>