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261 lines
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<title>Office Linux: Ideas for a Desktop Distribution LG #81</title>
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<H4 ALIGN="center">
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"Linux Gazette...<I>making Linux just a little more fun!</I>"
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</H4>
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<P> <HR> <P>
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<H1><font color="maroon">Office Linux: Ideas for a Desktop Distribution</font></H1>
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<H4>By <a href="mailto:marndt@asmsoftware.de">Matthias Arndt</a></H4>
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<P> <HR> <P>
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<h3>Introduction</h3>
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<p>
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I remember one of the meetings of my LUG a few weeks ago. We argued about Linux and
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its readiness for the desktop.
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We all had the same opinion that Linux is ready for the desktop, at least where software
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is concerned. We discussed other related things but this is the thing that made me think about distributions.
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<p>
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In this article I want to propose to create a special desktop distribution for end users
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especially those who sit and work in an office all day long like secretaries.
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<h3>Why another distribution of GNU/Linux?</h3>
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<p>
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To summarize my thoughts:
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<ul>
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<li>Most current Linux distributions like <a href="http://www.suse.com/">SuSE</a>,
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<a href="http://www.debian.org/">Debian</a> or <a href="http://www.redhat.com/">Red Hat</a> come
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with huge amounts of available software. This has many advantages but many new users are confused
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with this. They ask: <em>I want to do .... . I installed lots of software from CD but which one
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should I use?</em> So why not only install one package that fits well for the required work?
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<li>A distribution for offices and end user use should be easy to install and easy to administrate.
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The people shall work with the computer not fix bugs and tweak configurations.
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<li>A distribution consisting of a few but proven components might be much easier to promote its use.
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</ul>
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<h3>Office Linux Manifest</h3>
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<p>
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<em>Office Linux</em> should not be one of the bloated 6 CDs full of programs distributions but
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a simple distribution that fits on one CD and that brings all needed applications and tools to
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create a productivity environment using GNU/Linux.
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<p>
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<em>Office Linux</em> should
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<ul>
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<li>run on standard PC hardware as found in offices
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<li>be easy to use
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<li>be easy to install
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<li>consist only of selected applications and environments
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<li>fit on one CD
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<li>be easy to upgrade
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<li>be designed for a workstation setup - not a single server application should be included
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<li>bring along optional development packages to allow users to compile software
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<li>have a nice and comfortable standard look'n'feel compatible to M$ Windows ™ so
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that the intended end user audience feels at home
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<li>come with all applications and tools needed for office work such as word processors, spreadsheets
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file viewers and printing utilities
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<li>be easy to network to Linux and M$ servers
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<li>be easy to administrate from remote locations
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<li>bring standard compliant Internet software such as <a href="http://www.mozilla.org/">Mozilla</a>
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<li>allow network install for disk-less workstations
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</ul>
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<p>
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<em>Office Linux</em> could consist only of free software but this is not a requirement.
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<h3>The bare system</h3>
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<p>
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<em>Office Linux</em> should only come with a proven and stable version of the
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<a href="http://www.kernel.org/">Linux kernel</a>. The kernel should be compiled to run on standard
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hardware out of the box supporting typically office hardware as networking and printing.
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Multimedia support would be nice but not required.
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<p>
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The standard set of <a href="http://www.gnu.org/">GNU tools</a> like Bash, sed, awk and find should
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come with <em>Office Linux</em>. However <em>Office Linux</em> should not present the user or admin with
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a huge list of tools to be installed. Installing a standard subset should be enough.
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<p>
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As <em>Office Linux</em> puts emphasize on secretaries and other office personnel it should not come
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with much applications for the console. One or two proven editors should be enough.
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<h3>Desktop environment</h3>
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<p>
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<em>Office Linux</em> should be easy to use. Therefor a proven stable and possibly fast desktop environment
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is required. <a href="http://www.kde.org/">The K Desktop Environment</a> could fit to meet this. However it
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is not the fastest possible solution.
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<p>
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<table width="100%">
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<tr><td>Pro KDE</td><td>Contra KDE</td></tr>
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<tr valign="top">
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<td>
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<!-- Pro KDE -->
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<ul>
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<li>easy to use
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<li>known and well supported in the GNU/Linux community
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<li>can be configured to feel like M$ Windows ™
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<li>Desktop environment with file manager and panel
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<li>easy to configure by the end user
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<li>comes fully internationalized
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</ul>
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</td>
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<td>
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<!-- Contra KDE -->
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<ul>
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<li>needs a considerable time to launch
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<li>huge memory footprint both in RAM and on hard-disk
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</ul>
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</td>
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</tr>
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</table>
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<p>
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Personally I do not like KDE that much but I recommend it for <em>Office Linux</em>.
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<h3>Office productivity</h3>
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<p>
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This is a very important field and <em>Office Linux</em> should concentrate on this
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field as its name suggests.
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A reliable and commonly accepted office suite like Star Office or OpenOffice should
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come with it.
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<p>
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Compatibility with M$ Office ™ is required to allow the intended user audience to import and reuse
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their old files. This compatibility should be achieved through the office suite and not through
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external tools. Not only to provide GUI but to make it more easy to use.
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A worst case scenario may invoke a GUI shell for command line tools.
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<p>
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I do not recommend KOffice for <em>Office Linux</em> just because it will find more
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resistance from the intended audience than suites that resemble M$ Office ™.
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<p>
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The distribution should provide reliable PDF readers and converters. Perhaps an installable PDF
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printer for <em>Office Linux</em> would be a nice idea. Users could print PDFs from any application
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then.
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<p>
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The printing subsystem should be able to communicate with existing network printers of any kind
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including SAMBA printers and standard Unix printers.
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The subsystem should be easy to install and use. It should be compatible with Unix convention in resembling
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the BSD printing system. CUPS would be a fine solution and I suggest using it in <em>Office Linux</em>
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<h3>Internet</h3>
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<p>
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A standard compliant Internet suite is another main part of <em>Office Linux</em>.
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<p>
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Although there a many fine programs out there <em>Office Linux</em> should only provide on of them
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in a preconfigured and working way. A stable <a href="http://www.mozilla.org/">Mozilla</a> release
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in a complete install with all needed plugins such as Macromedia Flash and a Java VM.
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<p>
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A security tweaked default configuration should be included.
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<h3>Help System</h3>
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<p>
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To be easy to use <em>Office Linux</em> has to include a help system that is easy to use and navigate.
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<p>
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The help system should provide
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<ul>
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<li>a general tutorial for new users
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<li>tutorial / help system for the desktop environment
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<li>access to software documentation
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<li>a wizard for application selection depending upon the task the user wants to accomplish
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<li>general introductions to Unix concepts
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<li>HOWTOs on Internet security
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<li>wizards to install default configurations for main applications like the office suite or the
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Internet software
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</ul>
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<p>
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Markup in HTML is recommended for the Help System.
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<h3>Conclusion</h3>
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<p>
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I think the creation of a distribution upon these ideas is entirely possible. It will require some work
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and patience but it shouldn't be impossible.
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<p>
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A distribution providing only a few but proven components might be as easy to use as M$ Windows ™.
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And then GNU/Linux might be ready for the desktop. It is a matter of time, hard work and patience but it
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is possible.
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<!-- *** BEGIN bio *** -->
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<SPACER TYPE="vertical" SIZE="30">
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<P>
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<H4><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="" SRC="../gx/note.gif">Matthias Arndt</H4>
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<EM>I'm a Linux enthusiast from northern Germany.
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I like plain old fifties rock'n'roll music, writing
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stories and publishing in the Linux Gazette, of course.
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Currently I'm studying computer science in conjunction with
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economics.</EM>
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<!-- *** END bio *** -->
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<!-- *** BEGIN copyright *** -->
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<P> <hr> <!-- P -->
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<H5 ALIGN=center>
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Copyright © 2002, Matthias Arndt.<BR>
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Copying license <A HREF="../copying.html">http://www.linuxgazette.com/copying.html</A><BR>
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Published in Issue 81 of <i>Linux Gazette</i>, August 2002</H5>
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