Mailinglist Archive: opensuse (4237 mails)

[jonathan_hughes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

>I think why linux is growing so slowly in companies are
>because of the it managers that do not deserve that
>title.They dont know whats out there. Whats better or how
>to save money. When the dinosaurs retire things should
>change, i hope.

I can't agree more. Our company is struggling to adopt Linux as a home for
our Notes Domino mail servers as - get this - I was told in a meeting on
which OS to use for our mail server that "Linux is too stable for our
needs". The fear is that no one will know how to fix it when it eventually
does break - say hard disk crash etc. Man this has to be the most
incredible statement I have ever heard.

My logic that proves this is a crock of bits:
- If you have a correct backup solution, then you have no problem
- Once you adopt Linux your young tech staff will be rallying to get the
skills to support the new technolgy/OS. This is the case with anything else
new - the technolust ensures you have two or three guys fighting to support
it - espcially as Linux is all the buzz at the moment and its skills are in
demand.
- How many average IT deparments have AS400's or even more tough HP3000's
that have a single guy that knows how to operate it and no one else? Linux
is far more friendly and supported than any of these two OS's (of which we
use two and they are both excellent)
- Surley you can train up some of thos lasy (whoah I am gonna cause myself
harm here ;-)) yet superior degreed chaps in the top office that support
the AS400 (via highly paid contractors mind you!) to expand their skills to
Linux?

As long as the old goats that have been running the IT departments since
MS-DOS 3.02 are still in charge of tech - we will have to sit quietly
through meetings listening to horsebit statements like the one I have noted
above. Their fear of Linux breeds their hate of it.

For the record - I had to nod yes to this statement and agree. I have no
choice, as I was told at the end of the meeting - our organisation does not
have a use for Linux in our strategy at the moment. Yeah - we only have use
for the massive licencing fees we are facing and maoning about right now.

Micro$oft has one good thing going for it - it suits the preplanned, back
scratching, buddy buddy support of upper management. Linux is fresh, cheap,
agressive, progressive and MAY REQUIRES NEW GUYS WITH NEW SKILLS to support
it (well OK in some cases) and THAT does not suit the 10 year plans these
guys made 5 years ago. Also they fear losing control and looking silly when
the Linux support guys correct them in meetings.

As I say - "Ahhh, just duck it!"