[K12OSN] Re: Help me fight FUD

[Mark Cockrell]

I've composited some of the responses I received on this and responded 
throughout.

> I would have them try OO on those powerpoints...  That's an old enough 
> version of office that I think OO would do nicely displaying them.
>
> So I guess "try to break it and see what happens" would be a valid 
> starting point.

We've had StarOffice 6.0/7.0 on the machines for a couple of years.  
Most of them have at least attempted to open something with it and 
immediately freaked out.

>You don't say if this is a K12LTSP environ, or OO.o on WinXX. So ...
>  
>
Primarily a Windows network running mostly XP with some NT 4.0 
workstations.  We do have K12LTSP in two labs, 3 libraries, and some 
classrooms.  The students don't have a problem with it.

>What about  leaving that aging copy of Office 97 on the system.  Then, if Feature X is missing, they can use MS Office for that presentation, and someone else (you?) could edit the presentation to be OO.o compatible if necessary?  
>
Not an option.  If MS Office is available, they WILL use it 
exclusively.  The administration is pretty firm on the stance that 
whatever we do, we'll do exclusively.  All MS, or all StarOffice.

>Also SO8 (OO.o 2?) has
> much better filters so it becomes less of an issue.  
>
I haven't tested either of these extensively, but there are certain to 
be problems.  One HUGE issue is that Impress can't play sounds across 
multiple slides, i.e. play a song throughout a slide show.  This one 
issue is almost a show-stopper.  I haven't been able to find any 
documentation anywhere that says this issue has been resolved in the 
upcoming versions.  Anyone have a comment on this?

>You can't ever guarantee that there will be 100% compatibility.  This is a very good example of the vendor lock-in issue and could be used as a case to actually move to OO.o even if issues will arise (look at the long term benefit vs short term pain).  
>  
>
I know these things to be true.  What I'm hoping to find here are some 
clever, creative, effective ways to illustrate the salience of these 
points to a 57-year-old Auto Shop teacher, for example.

>Remind everyone about the change from Word Perfect to Word. That was supposed 
>to be the end of the world too. 
>  
>
We still have people mad about that. ;)

C-ya,
Mark
____
"Drama is life with the dull bits cut out." -- Alfred Hitchcock