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Conrad Lawes wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mide2d76f000711231129v5b006fcdv68c4990fecf86692@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">I appreciate all the merits of Open Source. However, if
there's no comparable open source option that will offer the same, if
not better, end result then it's counter-productive to suggest an open
source solution simply because it's not MS.
<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
I didn't. Read it again.<br>
<br>
<blockquote
cite="mide2d76f000711231129v5b006fcdv68c4990fecf86692@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">For instance, suggesting a solution that is going to
require replacing the current library system back-end just to satisfy
the client-side requirements, IMHO would be over-kill, if not costly. <br>
<br>
</blockquote>
Red herring.<br>
<br>
<blockquote
cite="mide2d76f000711231129v5b006fcdv68c4990fecf86692@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">It seems to me that Jim is perfectly happy with the XP
solution that is presently in place. He just doesn't want to upgrade
to Vista. So again, I ask why not stick just with XP?
<br>
<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
Asked and answered. This time, actually read the reasons. :-)<br>
<br>
--TP<br>
<br>
<blockquote
cite="mide2d76f000711231129v5b006fcdv68c4990fecf86692@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div class="gmail_quote">On Nov 23, 2007 2:00 PM, "Terrell Prudé Jr."
<<a href="mailto:microman@cmosnetworks.com">microman@cmosnetworks.com</a>>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote"
style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<div bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000">Hmm...several reasons:<br>
<br>
1.) A system that actually *works* without major care and feeding. In
short, a much, *MUCH* cheaper maintenance bill.<br>
2.) A system with less up-front cost, in most cases, zero. Sure, this
is small compared to maintenance, but it's still there.<br>
3.) A system that actually supports truly open standards.<br>
4.) A system that is virus free.<br>
5.) A system that *you*, the user/sysadmin, can modify as you need.
Yes, a lot of people actually do this!<br>
6.) A system that actually gets updates right away, unlike MS ("oh,
that WMF report is a feature, not a bug!")<br>
7.) Freedom from license audit threats. Just ask Paul Nelson and
other schools/libraries about that.<br>
8.) A guarantee of "no piracy." It's impossible to "pirate" something
that's Free, as in Freedom.<br>
9.) The ability to, without any limitations, share that same software
with whomever asks ("oh, your computer crashed? No prob, here's a
Knoppix/Ubuntu/Fedora LiveCD so you can keep doing that book report").<br>
<br>
Windows XP is a steaming pile of dung, and Vista is yet worse. And
both are a legal trap, a big one. Thus, my two questions to you would
be, <br>
<br>
1.) Why would you want to go backwards to MS Windows, instead of
forward to something actually good like GNU/Linux?<br>
2.) Are you *asking* for a license compliance audit, like what
happened to Portland Public Schools and many others? I trust you've
read that Microsoft EULA....<br>
<br>
--TP<br>
<div>_______________________________
<br>
Do you <a href="http://www.gnu.org" target="_blank">GNU</a>?
<br>
<a href="http://www.cmosnetworks.com" target="_blank">Microsoft
Free since 2003</a>--the
ultimate antivirus protection!
<br>
</div>
<br>
<br>
Conrad Lawes wrote:
<blockquote
cite="http://mide2d76f000711230647jcc5ef4ao4ab485437c7555cc@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div>
<div class="Wj3C7c">Dump question: Is there any reason why you
can't continue
using XP?<br>
Many OEMs offer customers the choice of staying with XP. Vista is not
mandatory at least not yet.<br>
It is apparent (from this thread) that any other solution is going to
require significant research time and investment. <br>
<br>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Nov 21, 2007 10:42 AM, Jim Anderson
<<a href="mailto:gotthin@gmail.com" target="_blank">gotthin@gmail.com</a>>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote"
style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">Hello
All,<br>
<br>
I am in charge of the computers at my local library. We have 18<br>
public computers running Windows XP and Envisionware software for<br>
session control and printing. The library is beginning an expansion <br>
that will increase the number of public computers by 50% plus add a<br>
classroom with more computers. As I have a large part in the<br>
decision-making in this area I would like to find a Free alternative<br>
to having a slew of Vista computers installed. The library has had <br>
good results with XP because of the "DeepFreeze" security software<br>
that is installed. However an upgrade to Vista will be very costly<br>
and I am totally unconvinced that it would be a smooth transition and <br>
maintenance will be incessant.<br>
<br>
I have experience with K12LTSP since helping with a computer lab this<br>
past year. I would like to bring the stability, reliability and lower<br>
cost of ownership that I have experienced with LTSP to the library. <br>
Instead of buying 25+ new Vista computers the library could buy<br>
dedicated thin clients and new monitors. The library will see an<br>
ongoing cost saving in electricity costs, as well. I had been looking<br>
at a Windows-based terminal server solution, but I can't get away from <br>
the fear that one user could do something that would require the<br>
reboot of the whole system, or worse. In my mind LTSP is the only way<br>
to go.<br>
<br>
As well as using a lighweight locked-down desktop I need to have some <br>
way to control session lengths, create reservations (preferably a<br>
self-service kiosk) and store print jobs in a queue for release by by<br>
the user. The system would have to be able to interface with a<br>
payment system, such as Jamex, for payment of print jobs, and it would <br>
have to be able to read library card barcodes for making reservations<br>
and for print release.<br>
<br>
So my question is: "Does anyone know of any Linux systems that would<br>
work with LTSP and meet these requirements?" <br>
<br>
Thank you,<br>
Jim Anderson<br>
<br>
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For more info see <<a href="http://www.k12os.org" target="_blank">http://www.k12os.org</a>><br>
</blockquote>
</div>
<br>
<br clear="all">
<br>
-- <br>
Regards,<br>
Conrad Lawes <br>
PXE Guru </div>
</div>
<pre><hr size="4" width="90%"><div class="Ih2E3d">
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For more info see <a href="http://www.k12os.org" target="_blank"><http://www.k12os.org></a></div></pre>
</blockquote>
</div>
<br>
_______________________________________________<br>
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<a href="mailto:K12OSN@redhat.com">K12OSN@redhat.com</a><br>
<a href="https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn"
target="_blank">https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn
</a><br>
For more info see <<a href="http://www.k12os.org" target="_blank">http://www.k12os.org</a>><br>
</blockquote>
</div>
<br>
<br clear="all">
<br>
-- <br>
Regards,<br>
Conrad Lawes<br>
PXE Guru
<pre wrap="">
<hr size="4" width="90%">
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For more info see <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://www.k12os.org"><http://www.k12os.org></a></pre>
</blockquote>
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