[techtalk] heads-up: M$ (e-mail) virus making rounds.

[Caitlyn Máire Maritn]

Hi, everyone,

This really should probably move to grrltalk.


> Michelle Konzack wrote:
>
> > I think, the use of Outlook is irresponsible. If you like Linux an
> > you know how to use it, administer it,
> >
> > GO TO YOUR BOSS AND TELL HIM THE ALTERNATIVES WITH LINUX !!!
>
> Unfortunately, sometimes there aren't alternatives.
>
Sometimes, also, it would mean changing *everything*, redoing tons of custom
coding, buying whole new software packages *if* there are direct Linux
replacements, and, as Jenn pointed out, sometimes there aren't any.  Then
add retraining thousands of clueless users.  For the customer I support,
this would all cost millions of dollars.  The impact of the virus on our
business was minimal.  If you do a cost/benefit analysis, Linux loses to
Microsoft in this shop.  Really, it isn't even a contest here.

Now, there are places where, as we add things, we could use Linux instead of
MS, and there is a test lab where that is being looked at, and indeed, it
will happen.  The thing is, you can't just replace a huge corporate IT
infrastructure overnight.  It isn't realistic.

Now, if I were building from scratch at a startup, yes, I'd avoid Microsoft
like the plague.

Oh, and FWIW, my boss and I (who share a very pro-UNIX bias), did have that
discussion, and we agreed on everything.  The thing is, in the real business
world, sometimes you can't have the ideal world you'd like.

All the best,
Caity