[luau] News - Mandrake 9.0 vs. Mandrake 8.2 for new Linux users

[W. Wayne Liauh]

1.  For simple tasks, KOffice 1.2 actually does a pretty good job.  (The 
screen settings need to be re-configured, but this is your speciality, 
Geroge.)
 
2.  I am a desktop person.  When I started playing with Linux 5 years 
ago (running WordPerfect 7 on RedHat 4.2), it always puzzled me why 
people put so much fuss about firewalls (wouldn't a simple script line 
DENY:ALL do the job?)  Indeed, this the exactly the kind of attitude 
most Linux gurus have towards Linux desktops: Wouldn't 
StarOffice/OpenOffice do everything?
 
3.  StarOffice started with a hopelessly bloated code mass, unless Sun 
is willing to re-write the entire code, it is not going to replace 
Microsoft Office.  Unfortunately, most Asian office suite makers (e.g., 
ChineseOffice 2000, Hancom Office, Red Flag, etc.) are only interested 
in making superficial changes to OpenOffice (and charging $$$ for their 
products) without addressing the fundamental issues.  This is not going 
to help moving Linux to the desktops.  (Many Taiwanese governmental 
entities, including their Department of Justice, took a close look at 
StarOffice, and decided they are not ready to even consider Linux as a 
viable desktop option.)
 
4.  As I mentioned elsewhere, Corel really holds the key to the success 
of business Linux desktops.  A few months ago, the Corel executive, who 
has been consistently refusing to engage in any meaningful conversations 
with me regarding another native Linux port of WordPerfect, was fired.  
As a result, Corel's CEO Derek Burney has changed his tone and promised 
to take another look at WordPerfect/Linux if a potential Linux desktop 
exists.
 
5.  At the present time, the only viable way to implement a business 
Linux desktop is through Win4Lin (version 4.0.1+).  Unfortunately, there 
are no available kernel patches at the present time that will allow 
Win4Lin to work with either RedHat 8.0 or Mandrake 9.0.  Interestingly, 
as a result of this, I am going to test Libranet 2.7.  (My friend Leon 
Goldstein has just written an article on Linux Journal highly prasing 
Libranet 2.7.)
 
As I am writing this, I have given them my credit card number, 
downloaded the two ISOs, and burned them onto CDs.  Libranet--among all 
the possible Linux distros and after I have spent so much time on Red 
Hat and particularly Mandrake?

Joe Linux wrote:

> I think the main issue still is a good word processor.  I have been 
> working on an important letter in Open Office, and I'm often 
> frustrated by some of the things that are going on with it.
>
> Details:
>
> Screen refresh is messed up from time to time with menus stuck on top.
> Unable to cut from Galeon and paste into Open Office. (works with Abi 
> Word)
> Spell checker failed to function at some point in time, but worked 
> after a re-launch.
> Document formatting difficult to control.
>
> Basically Open Office is marginal and doesn't compare to WP on Windows.
>
> W. Wayne Liauh wrote:
>
>> I have been thinking about putting together an "almost state of the 
>> art" PC and placing it at our State Bar office to bring the awareness 
>> to our bar membership of a possible Linux office solution, which, at 
>> least potentially, should offer the lure of better security and 
>> better cost-effectiveness.  (Cost is a very important factor here.  
>> Our parent firm in Houston pays about $110K for new hires, here, the 
>> best starting salary I heard is $72.5K.)
>>
>> Before I do that, I would like to put that Linux office machine in a 
>> semi-publicly accessible place such as Midpac (Warren? Tom?) so that 
>> many would-be consultants can kick its tires before offering their 
>> services to at least the bar members.
>>
>> I will be out of town most of October.  Suggestions will be greatly 
>> appreciated. 
>
>
>
>
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