enforcing the 5-year replacement policy

[Aczlan]

Of course, they might want to eye the situation with Win8 and see where the enterprise is moving before making that decision.

Windows 8 AKA "Me 2" (at least from what I have seen of the current betas)

Aaron Z

[aclawson]

That would require making MLS run on Linux, as well as possibility additional support for people who don't know Linux.

There's not really a need to "know" linux to use it - double click on the icons and things work. Usually significantly faster than on an identical machine running Windows.

If anything, stability through obscurity can be a net positive - if people aren't familiar with the OS they are less likely to mung something up because "I do this all the time at home..."

[johnshaw]

We're approaching a time when Linux may be enterprise ready.... but it still isn't here, frankly, in my estimation, we'll see it ported to MAC before Linux. Linux has had too many years on the market to become viable as a business-class operating System, and hasn't reached it. I had very high hopes for it when Novell acquired SUSE, but like all things Novell it went nowhere. I think we'll see a distributed, online, cloud based service that will run with html5 on any device before long... The Church provided tools will be network and maybe a cache appliances.

[russellhltn]

There's not really a need to "know" linux to use it - double click on the icons and things work.

Until something goes wrong and it needs to be fixed.

[rbeede]

Until something goes wrong and it needs to be fixed.

Actually one nice trick that is easy with Linux is to simply configure the distro so that you reboot and it reloads it from a clean image.

The lack of printer support (and for some units scanner) is really the show stopper. It could provide some savings in cost, but when purchasing new PCs the vendor rarely gives you a discount for leaving out the Windows OS anyway.

[aclawson]

Until something goes wrong and it needs to be fixed.

That's what the STS is for. I've fixed the "fixes" that clerks have made on the grounds of "well, I use Windows at home and this always wo...."

[aclawson]

Actually one nice trick that is easy with Linux is to simply configure the distro so that you reboot and it reloads it from a clean image.

A'la Deep Freeze as used in the FHCs.

The lack of printer support (and for some units scanner) is really the show stopper. It could provide some savings in cost, but when purchasing new PCs the vendor rarely gives you a discount for leaving out the Windows OS anyway.

So either only buy printers already compatible or have somebody in IT write a linux device driver. For every problem there exists a solution.

Cost? There are lots of companies who would be more than happy to give you a discount on such a large contract.

[johnshaw]

The problem is the pool of STS that can support Windows in comparison to those that can support Linux is separated by a VAST insurmountable chasm.... Linux is not there yet, it may be in the future, but not yet. If we are going to hire STS and pay for expertise, then I would get on board, but as we currently support with volunteer staff, we need to utilize the most common and prevalent skill set.

[russellhltn]

Cost? There are lots of companies who would be more than happy to give you a discount on such a large contract.

Not Tear 1 companies. MS has locked them into a contract per PC shipped - not the number of PCs with Windows.

[johnshaw]

Going back to the origination of the thread, it was good to have confirmation from my FM that the 5 year replacement is not a soft target anymore but a hard target. I was afraid like almost everything else that ICS decides, the message clearly doesn't always travel down the FM path. ICS and FM really need to get together at the top level and get everyone on the same page.