Re: Windows to Linux migration - be or not to be

Dave <withheld@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in part:
Our company ~50 employees is growing and with it the custom
application requirements. My boss is a "Sun guy" and quite
outspoken when it comes to Windows. He constantly complains
about Windows limitations, cowst, and all the usual.

A decerning and knowledgeable boss. Very rare.

Our main servers are running Solaris and our business
critical applications (non-gui) are also written and run by
most clients. However all clients/users are running Windows
environment (XP Pro/Home/98/95) with Telnet emulator and
Windows apps (Office, browser, etc.). These are networked

I'm a bit surprised you don't have any Xapps being run on
those PCs with something like Hummingbird or eXceed to provide
an X-term on the PCs. But that actually makes it easier.


I have been toying with an idea to stear my boss towards
Windows to Unix/Linux migration of the clients but I want to
do this carefully and in stages. The most obvious objection
from my boss is the necessity to re-train everyone.

This seems to be necessary anyways with MS-Windows Vista
and the latest MS-Office. The Linux office apps (Koffice,
GNOME, Staroffice) are at least as "intuitive" & user-friendly.

2. How easy it is to remotely interract with Linux client's
desktop? i.e. If client running server app (over Telnet)
issues a command, would server be able to launch client
side visible apps such as browser.

I don't think telnet is capable of this, but X-protocols are.
Watch your wording: an X-terminal is considered the X-server
because it is serving screen/kbd/mse resources. The X-app
is the client pgm which is using those resources.

For example, once the permissions [xhost] and DISPLAY have been set:

$ netscape [given in telnet/ssh session]

will open a window on the PC/Linux box running `netscape` on
the Sun, but displaying on the PC & taking input from the PC.

3. Would we be able to easily install Linux with GUI on
the existing PCs?

Sure. Just try booting a live CD like Knoppix on one.
You can test very easily, and see if you can telnet in
to your core apps.

4. What strategy have you (or would you) use to convince your
boss to at least give the migration a proper consideration?

Have him try the Knoppix machine. If you want (2) as a core
functionality (which I don't believe MS-Windows provides without
some careful REXEC extentions), then you might want to shift to X.
Linux/Suns share graphics _much_ better than MS-Windows.

-- Robert

.

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