[CS-FSLUG] The Moral Foundation of Free Software

[Fred A. Miller]

On Sun January 2 2005 8:53 pm, Don Parris wrote:

[snip]

> I think this sort of thinking is fairly flawed.  Having seen Fred's
> comments about the need for retraining being mostly non-sense, and
> know that users typically require no more than 2 weeks to a month to
> adjust to OpenOffice.org, I can see no compelling argument to continue
> forking out $400 for an office suite, when a FOSS alternative requires
> little transition and is free to download.  Even if you choose to stay
> with MS Windows as your OS, there are FOSS alternatives that can save
> churches serious money.

Sure can!!

> If the church pays the same in retraining expenses that it would pay
> for proprietary license fees, it has still come out better off in the
> long run.  What's more, a church can do a gradual migration, enabling
> staff to have time to adjust.  That doesn't cost a thing.

Quite right!

> Notwithstanding, I think it is nothing short of appalling to suggest
> that retraining is all that necessary.  The only things users _might_
> need to adjust to is the virtual desktop concept, and KDE functions
> almost exactly like the Windows desktop.  The biggest difference users
> will see is that it includes software in prearranged submenus.  O.k.,
> KDE offers a "Run" item on the desktop context menu.  The Start button
> is usually rendered as a logo of some kind.

I've taught more users to use OpenOffice, Gimp, and other software than 
probably anyone here. The LONGEST time it has taken any user to be 
comfortable is 5 days, and MOST a few hours to a couple of days. This with 
VERY MINIMAL instruction on my part.......hands on learn it by the users. 
Anyone who makes a big deal of retraining is a MickySoft apologist, IMHO. 

Fred

-- 
"As Internet technology itself vaults into new areas, so too does the
Microsoft monopoly and its tried-and-true bag of tricks."
-US Senator Orrin Hatch, (R) Utah