Migrating Your Office from Windows to Linux? 682
bastiji asks: "I work at a mid-sized company, around 50 people and 90% M$ shop (10% being the Sun server doing our backups). Most of my users are using Office 85% of the time with some specialized apps thrown in for good measure. With the upcoming licensing changes from M$ my finance guys are worried about increased spending on even the software that we already own. I've been to told to look for alternatives and I'm asking for your help. How does one begin to do migration from a totally dependent M$ shop to the least expensive options. Are there any examples for mid-sized firms taking this route and any public examples of cost-savings?"
HTH (Score:5, Informative)
In my experience, it's best to replace your servers with Linux, particularly because end-users tend to be more resistant to change concerning their day-to-day activities. If you're using Windows NT for file and print sharing, then you can easily replace those with Linux and Samba. The user's won't care what the server OS is so long as they have access to their files and printers. Most of your cash outflow can be stopped here. Of course, if you have specialized apps that require MS software (ASP scripts), then you'll need to maintain those, but for pure file and print sharing, you can easily go the Linux/Samba route.
For internet services, you're set. Linux can do everything Windows can and more. For SQL services, you can migrate data from MS SQL to any myriad of free SQL servers available from Linux. Just make sure that your SQL statements are ANSI compliant.
You'll just have to handle these on a case-by-case basis.
For the end users, consider OpenOffice as a replacement for MS Office. There are plenty of good browsers for Linux (Mozilla and Opera) that can replace IE. Eventually, you can get users used to using Linux with KDE/GNOME and still give them the functionality they need.
One caveat: in my experience, leave the accountants alone. They tend to be moody, set in their ways, and can become quite a strain on your happiness if you try to mess with their routines.
The only thing I can offer you advice on are your custom apps. For those you can either just live with the fact that you need MS for them, try to find Open Source alternatives, or if written in-house, consider porting.
I hope this helps you a tiny bit. Best of luck!
unfortunately .. you dont (Score:3, Informative)
As an experiment some of our more computer literate employees switched to Linux - but in the end had to switch back due to a plethora of small but annoying problems.
These included opening files sent via email
A mid-sized company with around 50 people?!?! (Score:4, Informative)
First, evaluate the alternatives. What applications can be replaced with Linux equivalents and which can't. For the ones that can't, would it be cost-effective to consider limited licensing for those apps and running them from a Windows terminal service with Citrix Metaframe installed? Or would it be cheaper to by VMWare licenses for those users who absolutely have to run some esoteric Windows app.
When the alternatives have been considered, propose a pilot targetting a limited group of users to see whether the can continue their normal work routine on the new platform.
These are all starting points. The tough one is what to do about apps that only exist on Windows and are critical to the job the person is doing.
-David
Well... (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Do only a partial change... (Score:2, Informative)
Unfortunately, introducing another Operating System into your (until now) heterogenous network can cause some headaches. Most notably (at least in my case), backups can become a problem. We use AMANDA here for our backups and haven't had a problem. YMMV. File serving is a breeze (and FAST) with samba so you shouldn't run into any problems there.
Expect to spend a significant amount of time explaining "Windows Equivalents" to your users. Cut and Paste for example, can be a PITA.
It can be done. Don't let anyone tell you it can't.
Windows=Linux (Score:3, Informative)
I'm slowly migrating to Linux at my company. So far it's going pretty well. We had to add an extra box to everyone's desk in the call center due to [Non-Disclosure Agreement], so I spent $1000 for some old P233MMX w/64MB RAM, slapped Linux on them, and the users went to town.
After a couple of months with Linux in production I have to say that it's going well. Help desk calls are waaaaay down and users are happy. I've said this before, but here goes: users don't remember the last time they rebooted the Linux box, but sure remember the last time they rebooted Windows.
We're replacing Windows boxes right now by attrition, but plan to replace them all by the end of the year - OS, not hardware.
Since Office runs on Linux now it's at least theoretically possible to standardize on Open Office or something internally and have a single box with a single MS Office license converting both incoming and outgoing attachments to and from MS office format. When an open-source conversion utility comes out, you'll probably be able to abandon MS Office altogether but keep compatability with others.
Be aware that Citrix ain't really that cheap a solution. You'll pay through the nose for licenses (application licenses for each connectd user, terminal server client access licenses for each connection, citrix licenses for each user, and connection licenses for each computer). You have to get licenses for client machines (unless they're Windows 2k or XP which have their own) that connect to a Citrix server, which defeats the financial purpose of replacing Windows with Linux.
Re:Heck, changing non-business people is no easy t (Score:3, Informative)
Screensavers? Have you SEEN the latest full Gnome install? I could spend an hour browsing through the stock screen savers! As for wallpaper, that's cross platform. A jpeg is a jpeg is a jpeg. P2P apps would be a problem if it wasn't for wine [codeweavers.com] and people like Frank [franksworld.net], who've figured it out for you. Closed formats are really the only thing that Microsoft apps can read that Linux apps can't. Even that barrier is crumbling.
a link: win2k and linux for office environments (Score:3, Informative)
Here is a quote:
Still, in my opinion, the great majority of end-users is still too dumb and this will cause you greater troubles, at least with all the time you will waste trying to explain'em that No, You Can'T Have A Dancing Lady On Your Desktop, And Even If You Were In A Windows Environment You Just Cannot Install It And Later Complain Because You Got a Virus!
However, have fun.That's funny (Score:2, Informative)
Great report with lots of cost saving reports (Score:2, Informative)
http://www.dwheeler.com/oss_fs_why.html
Here is some advice from someone actively doing it (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Those Specialized apps will bite ya.. (Score:2, Informative)
http://www.rdesktop.org
two cents (Score:3, Informative)
For word processing I like AbiWord. The 1.0.1 version has just been released and it works quite well. It doesn't have *every* feature of word, no sane program would, but it does have all the features needed for general word processing.
I don't have much use for spreadsheets, but Gnumeric and kspread have worked fine for me. People have also mentioned that OpenOffice/StarOffice has a good spreadsheet.
For reading email there's Evolution, Netscape or Mozilla Messenger, and various others.
For database, use MySQL or PostgreSQL as the backend instead of access. Use HTML as a frontend so you can access it from any system, even Windows.
For webmail, take a look at squirrelmail. There are many other imap/pop/mtas that you can choose from to create your mail server. Of course, you'll replace IIS with Apache
For viruses you'll need to use the Unix honor system. su to root, choose a file at random then delete it, then email everyone in your address book with similar instructions. To mimic the crashes you can try turning off the power when you're in the middle of something very important.
Migrating from Windows to Linux (Score:3, Informative)
Well, you must have realistic goals like: Reduce software costs, provide a stable environment, reduce support costs etc...
If you want to use Linux as the OS, you may get some opposition from the Windows fans. So, migrate using a gradual approach.
After you do all these things... the stability and usability of the user and server software should be evident and the switch to Linux as the OS should be fairly painless as there are Linux equivalents to the programs they've been running on the old Windows installations. You may find you have made some Linux fans in the office too!
12-step program for a Microsoft-free shop (Score:5, Informative)
It's a very thorough overview of all the major steps (technical, mental, emotional, you name it) that an office must pass through in order to successfully dump Microsoft. It'll be very helpful to your cause.
Re:Good Luck (Score:2, Informative)
Help a company with 240 Employees and 130 Machines. They had the BSA coming and desided - not way. In 30 days, all converted except two machines - Specail Test Software.
Issues:
Cheap Motherboards - with video on board. Very slow opening StarOffice. -- Install PCI Video Cards.
Brand new machines (high end) with Video Cards that where not supported yet. Replaced with supported cards.
Not as bad as it sounds (Score:5, Informative)
- Bring the users into the decision, not only what software to use but why.
- 3rd party training for software other than MS Office is available, even if not listed in their course lists. Ask. Our local Productivity Point has personnel qualified to teach the Lotus software and has complete course materials, they just don't list it in their offerings because there's so little demand. They were delighted to teach the courses for our users, at very reasonable cost.
- Having a backup process leads to user comfort. We'll still have four people with MS Office on their PCs, mostly administrative assistants and a lead customer service person. Their primary purpose is to provide access to documents which don't get converted by the time we remove Office from everyone else's PCs and to convert documents from outside the company which for one reason or another won't convert to Lotus cleanly using the Lotus software. This is a real benefit to our users and we wouldn't have gotten their buy-in without being able to assure them that we weren't abandoning their old documents.
- Don't rush the process. We started out by giving our users 60 days to convert their old documents to Lotus. We'll end up giving them an additional 30 days on a case-by-case basis. We installed Lotus on user's PCs in addition to MS Office so they could get used to the new software gradually. Once a user has been to training we made it clear that all new documents were expected to be in Lotus format. They have both the incentive and the training to make the change and it is working out very well. On the other hand, there has to be a due date or nothing will get done!
Our users initially resisted changing and why not? Learning new software, even as simple a change as from MS Word to Lotus Word Pro, is intimidating to someone who views computers as a tool rather than a way of life. We overcame their resistance by putting the facts before them: the lifecycle cost of MS Office over the next three years vs. the lifecycle costs (including training!) of switching to Lotus, Corel, etc. The savings were really very dramatic, particularly for a company like us which tends to keep using old software for much longer than the vendor would really like. Since we're a pretty open company anyway and take pains to not only present financial information to everyone but teach them how to interpret it as well, this had an impact. When you put it like, "we can spend the money on MS Office software and upgrade desktop PCs every five years, or switch to an alternative and keep to our three-year cycle", everyone had the same answer. They *like* getting new PCs every three years. The admin assistants *like* using shiny new Thinkpads which they can take to meetings and access information or take minutes with wireless connections to the LAN, etc. All of the productivity and convenience improvements we've made over the past five years took capital to implement, capital which in no small part would have gone into simply maintaining the software they already had. They didn't want to do that.
Once the decision was made we immediately chose a dozen key users and sent them off to a special Lotus SmartSuite class we had developed with our local Productivity Point franchise. A combination of the Introductory and Intermediate classes, it assumed that everyone knew how to use a mouse, access pop-up menus, etc. and concentrated on the differences between MS Word and Lotus WordPro, Excel vs. 1-2-3, and Powerpoint vs. Harvard Graphics. The class lasted three days and we had a very enthusiastic (and very relieved!) team when they got back, confident that they knew what they were doing and how to do it. They've been evangelists to the rest of the organization to the point where people were competing to get into the next class! A month into the process, people were competing to see who could be more 'MS Office free' and new documents were all being generated using the Lotus software. That was a month before the deadline! Now when someone from outside the company sends us a Word document (non of which, by the way, we've had the least trouble converting to Lotus,) people grumble about how 'backward' other companies are. Those who have regular contact with MS Office users outside the company are now evangelizing them and rumor has it that at least a couple of our business partners, faced with the same costs we were facing, are considering the same move away from MS Office.
The key is not that the Lotus software is so good but rather that it is good enough and *much* less expensive (and a key to that is that we buy IBM notebooks and desktop PCs, mostly because of their terrific technical support, and SmartSuite comes free with them. A real savings, that!)
Difficulties in our project:
- Some MS Office documents do not convert very well to Lotus. Most Word and Excel documents do (in the case of Excel, usually needing at least some clean-up by hand,) and Powerpoint presentations don't convert nicely at all. Don't even think about converting MS Access to Approach (but then, think about it: do you really trust anything more complex than a grocery list to Access? If its really important, shouldn't it have a real database behind it?)
- Some people just don't like change. We've got a couple. Peer pressure works most of the time but we have one granite boulder who not only isn't going to change, is senior enough that it would take tippy-top management ordering him to before he would, and then he'd just sabotage it ("See? Told you so!") Not a real problem, though: he doesn't really use the computer for anything other than e-mail, anyway (and half the time he dictates replies to e-mail to his admin assistant.) His assistant is very happy with Lotus and buffers between him and the rest of the company, so it works out.
Good luck!
Replacing M$ Application Servers (Score:1, Informative)
Why do anything? (Score:4, Informative)
What about the option no one seems to consider? Stick with what you have right now. It works today...it will still work tomorrow. Get out of the "gotta have the latest" mindset.
For most of what business users do, using software that is a year or two or five old is just fine.
Upgrade: Knoppix, MS Word .rtf default, etc (Score:2, Informative)
Changing MS Word users default Save file format to
As many have said:
Setup servers for windows file and print, web hosting, DNS, DHCP, and SMTP (samba, apache, bind, DHCPd and sendmail) in the back office. LEAF [sourceforge.net], LRP [linuxrouter.org] and CoyoteLinux [coyotelinux.com] firewalls are an easy place to start the conversion.
Try Knoppix BootCD-OS [knopper.net] (debian) on every box, see if users can deal. It is complete Desktop with OpenOffice, Xmms, ogg-vorbis, Gimp, FreeCiv, and tons more on 700Mb CD-R. It auto-detects a ton of hardware, such as sound at each boot, and does not get installed to harddisk. It needs 128Mb Ram, or pagefile/swapfile/scratch disk on a box with less ram. If the user can't deal, eject the CD, and reboot back to MS Windows.
Setup each Win32 computers to run a script stored on a central server, at each boot. It saves a ton of work later.
Getting Win32 users into the OpenSource thing by installing Win32 OpenOffice [openoffice.org] and Mozilla [mozilla.org] on your current MS Windows install base. See how that goes with the users.
Convert your existing data from
Run an audit on your Win32 systems. Get a file dump e.g., "dir
Converting data is essential. Collecting data from users computer and registry, and inserting it into new email client, and Office apps should be automated, but no one has done it yet.
Wine testing for special apps is important.
After careful planning start rolling out conversions. This way you can convert data, support all the apps, and not loose users.
-Nathaniel
We just did this in my company (Mexico) (Score:2, Informative)
- Keep a reference manual around at all times. Everyone will keep asking questions about how to do everything from mounting a cd to changing the wallpaper. I've found that "Linux in a Nutshell" by O'Reilly is quite good for the shell inclined people.
- Have at least one or two experts you can go to available at all times (hire them if you don't have them).
- Migrate someone first. Test apps and everything your company uses with him. THEN consider migrating everyone else.
- Search for the alternatives. We found kde to be more adequate to our needs, installed OpenOffice (works great), a messenger app (Msn4Lin, based on ccmsn -- borsanza.com [borsanza.com]. For development (we mostly do java and web related development) we tried eclipse, but found netbeans more mature. For graphics (I'm the graphics guy) I'm taking a crash course on gimp (to replace jasc's Paint Shop Pro) and am just becoming productive after two days. - Standardize your installation. We're all using mandrake 8.2 standard install with choice apps thrown over it. We all run an ssh server so when a machine hangs (this is development, after all) to the point that the keyboard no longer works, someone else logs into that machine and kills x. Cool thing =).
- Post all the latest tips, tricks or installs in a visible place. We (the developers) are all in one room, so we just scrawl on the blackboard for everyone to see, but for a bigger company you'll need better organization.
This has been useful to us. They're mostly common sense tips. Hope they help you.
I've done this, it is possible (Score:2, Informative)
0. Find out what you have valid licenses for, and what you don't. If you don't have a valid license for it, consider the cost of going "legal" and switching over to a Linux-based solution. Finding out what has to go first will make many of the decisions for you. Sad to say, but the license/BSA problem is going to be your biggest.
1. Switch the server over to Linux first. This can be accomplished without the users even knowing about it, and servers and their software are one of the most expensive items anyway.
2. Figure out what Windows desktop functionality that you REALLY, REALLY need, and find Linux equivalents, preferrably ones with Windows counterparts, like Open/Star Office. Note, your users will come in four varieties:
A. Computer illiterate
B. Power Users
C. Normal Users
D. Microsoft Junkies
Believe it or not, the Computer Illiterate users will have the easiest time in the transition. If you set KDE up correctly, they will see an icon, click on it, find their program, and move on. I was truly amazed when I saw this happen in real life. I never got a call from one of the computer illiterate users. Several didn't even notice a change at all. These were the ones I worried most about. I shouldn't have.
The Power Users will have more trouble, but they will overcome their problems (usually without much coaching) and will appreciate Linux when they see what they have to work with. They will like and appreciate the tools, stability, and control that they can exert over their desktops.
The Normal Users will go along, because they are sheep anyway (sorry, but it's true). They may grumble, but they will adapt, especially if they know that it will help the company keep them employed.
The last group, the Microsoft Junkies, are those who fancy themselves as savy, but who are really next-to-illiterate. Unfortunately, these are the people who think the Microsoft way is the only _proper_ way for things to be done, and that any other way just isn't "right." These people will drive you nuts. Incidentally, lumping this group as "Microsofties" is not fair. They would have acted the same way if they were first taught on a MAC. For these people, the first way is the "right" way, regardless of which one is first.
3. Carrots work. As one of the other posters mentioned, start small and let it spread out. People fear the unknown, but if others make the transition, it will alay their fears that a transition is possible in the first place. Secondly, once some have made it, they will have more incentive to do it so as not to be "left behind" or so as not to appear to the boss to be inadequate, stupid, or not accommodating to the company.
Better yet, be prepared to give more privleges or goodies to those who migrate to Linux. This is even more incentive for the migration. If users feel that they will get more out of it (that they "get something") they will be more inclinded to accept the transition. Linux has plenty of freebies that can entice users, such as games and such that don't come out of the box with Windows.
4. Sticks work too. This is a harsh tactic, but from a business standpoint, it cannot be refuted and it will work. Tally up the costs of keeping Windows and attendant MS software (i.e., what it will take to get/keep legal and pay for the maintenance fees and attendant hardware upgrades). Tell the users that they can keep Windows if they offer to pay the difference in costs to the company (out of their paychecks). The company is making a perfectly good offer to support their work (for free) if they transition. Otherwise, they pay the difference. Once the employee sees the cost differential, and they know that they have to pay for Windows, then almost all of them will get on the Linux bandwagon. Those that don't, well, they pay and it is their responsibility to get/stay legal. Your company is still on the hook, but they can force the users to supply the correct documentation. Note, even if they do stick with Windows/Office, your company will transition to better (non-MS) file formats for internal documents, and cause the reluctant workers to do more in order to keep their work viewable by the rest of the company. This is akin to making smokers go outside to puff away.
Good Luck!
Re:Those Specialized apps will bite ya.. (Score:2, Informative)
1) If you're trying to save money, dont' even think of using MetaFrame servers to serve out Office. We do it only because we are already using UNIX for everything, and don't want to buy (or administer) PCs. But you won't save money on Office licenses by moving to MetaFrame. Microsoft is really funny about the way they license software for MetaFrame servers, and they basically require a license for every client that could possibly connect...even if it's impossible (due to lack of MetaFrame licenses) for them all to connect at once. So legally, you'd still need the same number of Office licenses as you have now, not to mention the licenses for Windows 2000 (or NT or XP) server, MetaFrame, and all the stupid Windows 2000 Terminal Server Client Access licenses...the last of which again requires a license for every possible client. If we didn't have a site license for Windows 2000 and Office here, I'd probably give up!
2) The "specialized" apps may not work too well on MetaFrame. If the apps are not written correctly, they do not work well when installed on a Terminal (MetaFrame) Server due to the shared nature of the system...basically, files/settings are placed in non-shareable locations, and things are hosed. This isn't to say your apps won't work, but there's a definate chance. Take, for instance, some of the tools included with Office 2000...the Microsoft Photo Editor won't even install onto Windows 2000 Terminal Server because it doesn't work right. You'd think Microsoft at least could write products that would work! (Actually, the core Office tools do work, but some of the utilties, like Photo Editor, don't).
Just want you to be aware of some of the gotchas... I've spent enough time suffering through them myself trying to figure out what was wrong to know it's a pain sometimes!
Re:Good Luck (Score:3, Informative)
Whats the best way to manage multiple user accounts over mutlitple linux workstations?
NIS is the proven workhorse for this task and I've had good times with it. LDAP is much more elegant, versitile, and scalable but is a little harder to set up.
Would you want to have to run XDM on every machine though?
Yes. Most people are comfortable with a graphical login. Also, gdm/kdm/xdm will give the users a very polished system to work with - which is always good when you're trying to convince them to change and learn new things.
Of course, what you do with dedicated servers and the machine on your desk is your own business.
and would you want /home to be a NFS share? or other nextwork filesystem?
Sharing home directories with automounted NFS is the standard way to do this. It's solid and works well.
The real question for this is how often do users need to acess each other's files, and would it be convenient for them to be able to log into other people's machines and have their desktop appear in all it's glory? If the users need to read each other's files on a regular basis or if roaming is conveneint, then NFS-mounted home directories are a must.
Ximian is great (Score:1, Informative)
Evolution: almost exactaly like Outlook.
AbiWord: reads wrights in MS
Gnumeric: reads and wrights in Execel format.
Galeon: better IMHO than ANY other web browser.
AND ALSO you can use Open Office, if those dont preform well enough.
almost frogot to mention.... all that above wont cost you a penny.
Re:The two critical shortcomings... (Score:2, Informative)
Some software to look into... (Score:1, Informative)
If you are looking for cheap, maintainable, stable software to replace your current Windows environment, then look into this :
Slackware [slackware.com] Linux [linux.org].
KDE [kde.org].
OpenOffice [openoffice.org] (maybe StarOffice [sun.com] or Hancom Office [hancom.com] or KOffice [koffice.org]).
Mozilla [mozilla.org] (or maybe Netscape 6 [netscape.com] or Opera [opera.no]).
The GIMP [gimp.org].
XMMS [xmms.org].
MPlayer [mplayerhq.hu].
GNUCash [gnucash.org] (or maybe Kapital [thekompany.com]).
Evolution [ximian.com].
NEdit [nedit.org].
Or if you need anything else, check out Freshmeat [freshmeat.net].
Re:Wrong! (Score:3, Informative)
You don't need to explain anything about permissions to users. None at all. Not to use it.
If you are talking about adding/removing packages, Linux is _much_ easier.
It doesn't take 50 pages of doucmentation to run XCDRoast or whatever your vendor ships. My CD Burner autodetected just fine.
In fact, so did my graphics card. Then, when I changed it, it autodetected it again.
Have you used Linux since 1995?
Suggestions (Score:2, Informative)
a. Are they adequitely trained to support Linux/FreeBSD/Other OS?
b. Are there enough staff for the task?
2) Next migrate from the top.
a. If upper management is switched over the rest will follow.
b. Most staff will use what ever is well supported.
c. Technical people will be easier to switch.
Be sure that the users understand the value proposition. (Whats in it for the user?)
a. Allow for flexibility in user preferences.
b. Excelent support (coworkers used to be supportised when I got Linux answers faster off the net than they got answers that they already paid for).
c. lower cost and more features (be sure that you understnad what features that people need).
4) When upper management and engieers have been swithced over and and adequite education period has been used you can migrate the remaining staff.
a. Most people never install any software in a work environment.
b. If they see success with upper management and understand the reasons (and buy into it) the mighration can proceed.
Regards
Tony Dean
tdean@du.edu
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