Public PCs having to drop XP... migrate to Mint?

[hoppimike]

I've been thinking. In most public places like libraries here in the UK, most of the machines seem to still run XP, as well as businesses and whatever. XP of course will not be supported from April, other than XP Embedded which of course they don't run.

Surely Mint 17 when it is released would be a brilliant alternative, totally free, LTS...

What do you think, should places like that consider it?

[900i]

Dont be silly, they will scrap the whole lot and buy new kit with Windows 8. Oh hang on there's no money is there. Mmmm.

[hoppimike]

Dont be silly, they will scrap the whole lot and buy new kit with Windows 8. Oh hang on there's no money is there. Mmmm.

But Windows 8 sucks. lol

[FreedomOfTheOpenCode]

Yes, the public sector in the UK is obliged to reduce costs and consider open source solutions now.

[hoppimike]

Yes, the public sector in the UK is obliged to reduce costs and consider open source solutions now.

That's fantastic!

There's honestly no good reason not to anymore. Desktop Linux is very good these days!

[900i]

But surely (don't call me Shirley) the Microsoft lobbyists will have something to say about that.

[daveinuk]

It would be nice if it happened, all comes down to who's wheels are getting greased half the time

[900i]

Wouldn't it be the case that the computers be replaced by cheap android tabs.

[daveinuk]

That's a possibility I suppose but they'd be easier to nick I imagine ! Downside to that is they're only really running the linux kernel as I understand it, I've got an android phone, but I don't consider it to 'be' linux, just some google spin, it's not really 'open' exactly is it...... sad thing is that mint and others would probably run just as well on the same kit, and people are still not aware of what open source really means and half the time they can't believe (after a lifetime of paying) that programs as good as linux has on board, can really be free.

[hoppimike]

Yeah I would prefer real computers to tablets anyway. Tablets are surely underpowered, easier to steal, have a simpler UI and often no true keyboard?

I dunno, also it would be way cheaper to just keep the old machines and bung Linux on them, and definitely cheaper in the long run I would think.

[900i]

it would be way cheaper to just keep the old machines and bung Linux on them

But then who is this person that will do the job.

[daveinuk]

Well I imagine the cost of hiring someone for a few days or so to install would be cheaper than an authority having to fork out god knows how much for new licenses, or at least you'd hope so . . . . . more often they'd just buy new hardware with the OS pre-installed for ease. . . .
It's a shame 'cos I for one would volunteer my time to help with a project like that even if they were STILL buying new hardware, if the old could be reused and given to the less forutunate instead of going to landfill that's got to be a better solution surely - but you can't expect too much common sense from council authorities, that's not their strong point lol.......

[900i]

This is what I am getting at in a roundabout way by playing devil's advocate. If we as a community don't get up off our ar**s then It isn't going to happen as most councils will not have had a clue about how such a thing could be made to work, that's if they had the idea in the first place.

[daveinuk]

I think this is part of the conundrum why linux doesn't get more exposure, there's no central body as such that I'm aware of that a council could approach to find out how they go about getting this kind of project done, unless of course they have someone 'in the know' to help guide them along. Even If a bunch of well meaning people approached them who's to say they'd even entertain the idea of letting you loose on their kit . . . . . . I know there's groups and such around that would probably help out too but if you come up against a jobsworth official that wants to see your 'certificate' and official documentation . . . . . .

I'm sure if more people on boards and committees used linux then they'd be more inclined to tout it as a cost saving suggestion, but alas most people in general aren't interested in WHAT it is they use, and we all know for average users they could use linux, but, they don't know enough about it to WANT it, because they haven't heard of it. It would be a really interesting excercise to see how people found Linux vs MS for ease of use in a Library type setting, it'd be interesting to know if they even KNEW what it was they were using !

[hoppimike]

Great posts, I agree with all of that I think!

I don't think your average user will notice much of a difference. LibreOffice will pop up instead of MS Office, and the taskbar will look different, and some desktop effects they're not used to, etc. For the most part though, it does have the vague form and behaviour of a Windows OS (which is one of the reasons I use Mint - I LIKE the classic Windows layout).

Only possible issues I would think would be compatibility with obscure hardware, old software coded for Windows they used probably wouldn't run as well, and LibreOffice isn't PERFECT with MS Office documents.

So it wouldn't be totally pain-free but... neither would a Windows 7/8 upgrade.

[MartyMint]

An Android desktop implementation would stand a greater chance as:

1. There's backing by Google.

2. Android already has established market presence.

Something like Firefox OS makes far more sense than Mint.

[900i]

Or maybe chromium OS

[Bolle1961]

it would be way cheaper to just keep the old machines and bung Linux on them

But then who is this person that will do the job.

Buy me a ticket, arrange bed & breakfast and I' m willing to do that

I think the best way to do that is contact the admins / owners and give them a demonstration what Linux is

[hoppimike]

Or maybe chromium OS

I really don't like ChromeOS... it's just too simple and bland. Sends me to sleep!

I am barely aware of Firefox OS.

I think they're all far too simple though. They would need a full desktop environment and solution, like Mint, Ubuntu or openSUSE.

Perhaps there are multiple ways to achieve a desirable outcome

[900i]

They would need a full desktop environment and solution,

Why, what apart from a browser are they running at the moment.