jtd wrote:
God you are missing he point completely. A stable rlease is a stable release that works the way it works. EOM. The next release has bigger-better-faster-yak things in it. That is the point of doing a new release u know. An it's a never ending story. Otherwise we would still be in the trees like ximians instead of gnomes at the keyboard
I have been using OO since version 0.9. So its not a new creation. By now it should have features similar in functionality to M$ Office and more. Otherwise what is the purpose of migration. It works anyway.
Libre software works well for corporates who can afford their own programmers who can make improvements and customizations to the software due to its libre nature.
What do you think are the new releases for?. And you dont pay for it just download and install. And if you find that too difficult stick to what is already installed.
Reply same as above.
The same is true for the do-it-yourself individuals who will write, compile and modify their own packages. But there is a retail segment where vendors as well as users depend fully on ready binaries and don't have the time to sit and experiment with various versions of software. They need software that works at that time not after bug fixes. I can't give software to a customer saying that "Right now it won't work for you because it has bugs or less functionality but wait for some weeks or months, and the problem will definitely get fixed". Till then what should the customer do?
The customer depends on YOU and pays YOU to provide that service. If you cant maintain a source tree (even that is maintained by the developers u just sync your tree with theirs and compile) or download a tarball and compile u are in the wrong business.
The customer does not pay ME to write software. The onus of bugs and functionality of a software lies on its creator. The customer only pays ME to maintain his hardware, install software the normal way and tune it to his work environment. However there is a limit to it as I am not into software development. The first choice is to try out libre software after giving a brief introduction to freedom and the pitfalls of closed source, vendor lock-ins etc. If it suits the customer's requirement thats great. Otherwise customer is king.
And if your idea of "working software" is doing things like M$orifice by jove you need a major re education in a gulag.
No siree if u thought that freesoftware is going to give your business a free ride you are wrong. Free software gives you a free ride if you take the trouble of educating your self. All it costs is time.
Reply same as previous. BTW, the user has already burned his hands trying out alternatives to commercial software. At one time he even forced his employees to use the alternative CAD package that someone had developed for him for a good sum of money. He started loosing employees as they could not adjust to the new package. Ultimately he had to go for commercial CAD software multi-user licenses as that is what everyone learns at the multi-media institutes.
BTW we have gone thru all the complexities of running a business with foss a hundred times on this list in the past few years. And concluded that u need skill AND a business plan or tons of cash AND a business plan.
Why are you raising the same old non issues?.
Because a list member found my problem with libre software hilarious. I need solutions not expert comments. There are pros and cons on both sides.