APPLEVISION Monitor

From: Doc <doc_at_mdrconsult.com>
Date: Mon May 6 20:16:08 2002

On Mon, 6 May 2002, Richard Erlacher wrote:

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "James B. DiGriz" <jbdigriz_at_dragonsweb.org>

> > Anyone who can install Windows
> > out of the box can just as easily install Solaris or Redhat or OS/X or
> > whatever and go straight to work on spreadsheets, documents, databases,
> > or whatever with as much ease, if not more, as with Windows.
> >
> Perhaps, but at what cost? (retail prices, since not everybody wants to go
> dumpster diving for hardware/software?)

  A hell of a lot less than it costs to do that in Windows. Yes, Dick,
I know you only paid $3 for Windows XP and Works 2000. I paid less than
that for the same functionality. We're talking list-price-against-list,
or going-rate-against-going-rate. NOT your-finds-against-list-price.

  OpenOffice v1.0 was just released. That's the OpenSource (free, to
you) follow-on to StarOffice 6.0. IOW, all the above for all the above
OS's for $0. MS-format compatible documents, spreadsheets, and
presentation app. Plus a lot more.

  Most Linux distributions come with gnumeric (Excel-compatible
spreadsheet), several WYSIWYG text editors, and a multitude of database
systems.

> Well, I'd be last to deny that Windows is a pain in the glueteus maximus, but
> if there were anything better, or even remotely comparable, for the "typical"
> home user, don't you think someone would think to mention it?

  As in "get a clue"? You can lead a horse to water....

        Doc
Received on Mon May 06 2002 - 20:16:08 BST