| As a business consultant, web designer and | | | | visits included upgrades to Open Office (the |
| photographer my technical know-how around | | | | open source version of Star Office), Linux OS |
| doing system administration on my Microsoft | | | | fixes and new peripheral drivers. This, |
| desktop is limited and sometimes I do require | | | | again, turned out to be a drain on my scarce |
| the assistant of my computer engineering son | | | | time for doing real business. |
| to get it right. In a Microsoft Environment, | | | | |
| keeping updated with respect to potential | | | | Now the Linux called Ubuntu is installed on |
| security breaches and patches is a constant | | | | my notebook. Ubuntu by Canonical is a full |
| vigil. The rigor of keeping current with OS | | | | Open Source Linux based on Debian Linux. |
| updates, Norton updates and Spyware updates | | | | Ubuntu is now available on Dell systems and |
| is time consuming. Valuable business hours | | | | Federal Governments are adding this Linux |
| each week are spend and lost on this task of | | | | operating environment to their list of |
| self-administration dictated by the Microsoft | | | | standard available OS's for all desktop and |
| Operating Environment. | | | | notebook computers. |
| | | | |
| So with the purchase of an IBM T40 (a tough | | | | Right out of the gate, Ubuntu was simple to |
| notebook), increasing system administration | | | | install. You could even bring down a trial |
| time was not an option. This alone forced an | | | | copy to experience exactly how it would |
| serious consideration of Linux as an | | | | behave on your notebook before downloading |
| alternative operating environment. That was | | | | and committing the Ubuntu OS environment to |
| five years ago. Now an established Linux | | | | your machine. But the best part is that |
| user, I can clearly profess the capabilities | | | | Ubuntu continuously keeps on top of OS and |
| and benefits of Linux for small and large | | | | all related application software updates. |
| businesses, especially, when it comes to | | | | Ubuntu has an Update Manager that magically |
| notebook deployment. | | | | appears in desktop tool bar. And with a |
| | | | simple click (and password) you are kept |
| What Linux variant is best for small business | | | | current on the latest versions of Ubuntu |
| and notebook deployment in your company? | | | | patches, any Linux application software you |
| | | | have installed from Canonical and Open Office |
| As a small and medium business development | | | | upgrades. |
| manager with Sun Microsystems, exposure to | | | | |
| Linux and the debate around its viability | | | | With Linux rebooting your machine after an |
| was a daily event. Questioning and | | | | update is nearly non-existent. |
| challenging the virtues of Open Source (FREE) | | | | |
| Linux versus Licensed Linux versions like Red | | | | Oh, as an added treat with Ubuntu, Ubuntu |
| Hat and Novell SuSE continues to this day . | | | | boots up on your machine in less than a |
| After years of personal use of Open Source | | | | minute. I still go get a coffee when my |
| (Free) Linux, I can never go back to running | | | | Microsoft desktop is booting up. An |
| the Microsoft Operating Environment on my | | | | additional benefit of Ubuntu: there is no |
| notebook. And once you can get Linux versions | | | | requirement for installing ant-virus and |
| of Quick books, Quick Tax and Picasa (now | | | | anti-spyware software. Ubuntu inherently |
| available on Linux), there is no reason to | | | | repels these vial scourges of the internet. |
| stay in that perpetual administrative | | | | |
| nightmare world of Microsoft. | | | | With Ubuntu your system administration life |
| | | | will become simple and painless. You can |
| Having successfully deployed two Open Source | | | | spend more quality business hours selling and |
| Linux variants on my IBM T40 notebook over | | | | marketing. |
| the last 5 years, a compelling comparison can | | | | |
| be made between Fedora and Ubuntu. Fedora, | | | | Want to cut hidden costs in your organization |
| the Open Source version of Red Hat, required | | | | that manifest themselves as Microsoft |
| the installation expertise of some Linux | | | | self-administration by your end users? |
| gurus from Belleville Ontario. It worked | | | | |
| fine, but required some Linux ninja system | | | | Ubuntu is a must for you or your IT folks to |
| administration every 6-9 months. | | | | consider. Seriously consider, test and |
| Administration items applied during these | | | | deploy. |