LinuxSA Mailing list archives

  From: Brian Danilko <Brian.Danilko@instech.com.au>
  To  : Freeman, Peter (ERHS) <Freeman.Peter@saugov.sa.gov.au>
  Date: Fri, 2 Nov 2001 16:12:17 +1030 (CST)

RE: Advice on Word processing / Browsing / Spreadsheets

Freeman, Peter (ERHS) writes:
 > 
 > >I am in an office that uses Linux for all engineering tasks without a
 > >problem - 
 > 
 > way to go Brian! :o)
 > 

Thanks. Actually it is pretty easy for all software only tasks. With
VHDL/Verilog compilers and PCB layout we still have Windoze
programs under vmware but we are looking to migrate to linux solutions
as soon as is practical. Again any exeriences here? Our goal is total
linux domination as soon as is practical.  

 > Do you need to interact heavily with outside sources who use MS based file
 > formats?
 > Or are you wanting it primarily for internal use, with only the occasional
 > need to export/import MS formats?
 >

We do need to interact with the outside (MS predominately) world as
well as create internal documents. As increased stability is our
primary concern I could see using a stable internal program and then
doing conversion as a first or last step. Our main aim is to increase
productivity through better stability. The conversions could be a
daemon script that converts everything written to a particular
directory or something similar. 
 
 > Apparently Abiword has improved quite a bit recently, I haven't tried the 
 > later releases so someone else may like to comment on it.  Gnumeric seems
 > quite good recently, tho I haven't attempted much in the way of
 > import/export
 > to Excel formats as yet.
 > 
 > As for web browsing, mozilla or konqueror seem to be the favorites, or
 > netscape
 > if you feel the need to drag your PCs performance down ;o)  Personally I use
 > konqueror most of the time, tho i still have some trouble loading some of
 > the
 > sites that use a lot of java :(

Thanks for your comments here. I will check out abiword and gnumeric
again. Konqueror has been pretty stable for me but not rock solid and
I haven't used mozilla for a couple of months. I have used opera but
the lack (again about 2-3 months ago) of java support was a problem.

Thanks for your comments. 

<soapbox> 
I think that the issue of office app stability should be the primary 
one. We complain about microsoft's tactic of releasing bugging but 
feature full versions so it is important that we don't adopt the same 
practice in the race to get acceptance for linux office apps. There is
only so much of the microsoft way that we should be emulating! 
</soapbox>

Brian 
 
-- 
Brian Danilko - Software Design and Implementation
  @ Inspiration Technology P/L (Brian.Danilko@instech.com.au)
       Modem Research & Design

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