[Ubuntu Chicago] Open Source in the workplace

[Man-Chicken]

I agree that PDF Creator is a great tool.  We need kopete for windows, I never 
could get used to gaim (and no, I'm not volunteering).

I also think a great way to help PEOPLE (remember, these are people in need of 
functionality, many don't even care what they're running as long as they can 
familiarize themselves quickly) is to get into the habit of distributing 
branded (I think the branding is important) discs to people.

The live CDs I've been handing out at work have moved 2 people over to using 
GNU operating systems, exclusively, in their homes.  The live CD shows 
people--with minimal risk--that they too can use Free Software.

I know those of you who know I'm an FSF zealot will giggle with this one, but 
I think we should also have supplemental discs that will work with Flash 
plugins and free software implementations of non-free codecs.  This is 
necessary functionality for many, and if we show them the way the world could 
(and should) be where everybody gets freedom with functionality then 
grassroots freedom will be more possible.

I am consistently encouraged by the Open CD project (should be the 
FreedomCD? :-P ) and what it is doing to free users.  This is good stuff.  
Let's see if we could do more to get more distribution of branded Free 
software going around.  I could throw some money into a pool to obtain such 
things if others are willing to participate.

On Monday 05 February 2007 10:54, Patrick Green wrote:
> Great letter.  I recently bought Marcel Gagne's Moving to Open Source and
> it is a great book and really gets to the point of useful foss software for
> windows users.
>
> On 2/5/07, Chad Sutton <chadarius at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Just wanted to let you all know that my plans to infect the world with
> > great free and open source software is continuing :).
> >
> > I've just started gathering support from my team and management to
> > replace and rollout PDF Creator to every Windows PC in the corporation I
> > am a Desktop Architect for. If it goes through it will hit close to
> > 200,000 PC's.
> >
> > As Ubuntu advocates, I think its important that we look at the "baby
> > steps" we can take to show people the value of open source software on
> > any platform. By rolling out PDF Creator to every PC in our firm, we can
> > give basic PDF creation functionality to all users just for the cost of
> > rolling it out to them. To do this with commercial software it would
> > cost us close to $10-20 million. My other goal is to replace existing
> > Acrobat installs. We have 1000's of users that use it for nothing else
> > that "printing" a few documents a month to a PDF. We can relaim their
> > licenses and use them for people that actually need more advanced PDF
> > printing, or just let the licenses die and stop paying maintenance and
> > support costs for them. That will probably save us real $$$ of $1-2
> > million at least.
> >
> > What is my rambling point? Any free and open source software usage is a
> > step in the right direction. If I was Forrest Gump I'd say "Value is as
> > value does"!
> >
> > --
> > Later,
> > Chad Sutton
> > csutton at chadarius.com
> > http://chadarius.com
> > http://stephandchadsutton.com
> >
> >
> > --
> > Ubuntu-us-chicago mailing list
> > Ubuntu-us-chicago at lists.ubuntu.com
> > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-us-chicago

-- 
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