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Some people have told me they don't think a fat penguin really embodies
the grace of Linux, which just tells me they have never seen a angry
penguin charging at them in excess of 100mph. They'd be a lot more
careful about what they say if they had.
-Linus Torvalds
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From time to time I do custom Linux installations for various clients.
These installations often require configuring Linux systems to replace more
costly platforms and, more importantly, improve stability and performance.
If you're interested in deploying Linux throughout your organization, or
even as a limited scope solution, there are numerous companies that will
assist in this effort. If you're interesting in retaining my services,
please contact me at
kwan@digitalhermit.com.
| Small Business Network Needs Analyzer |
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It's easier to use floppy disks than our network to share files.
Linux makes it very easy to share files amongst different clients and
servers. Unlike other OSes that lock your business into a particular
upgrade path (and with it, the chance of obsoletion), Linux talks with
just about every OS in existence. This includes Windows, Novell, Appletalk,
and Unix networks through projects such as
Samba,
Netatalk, and
NFS.
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Some of our computers can't access the Internet.
All the major Linux distributions include
firewall and NAT software which
allows you to share a single Internet connection. Most also include web
proxy software to maximize the connection by caching frequently accessed
sites. Whether you want to use a new PC to replace an expensive hardware
solution or just want to get your office online with an obsolete PC, Linux
can help put your business online.
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We don't have a Web site.
The
Apache web server software is included
on almost all distributions. Designed with security, speed, and
stability in mind, Apache powers the majority of web pages on the
Internet. With a LAMP (Linux,
MySQL, Apache, and
PHP) platform,
corporations can build a web presence easily and efficiently.
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We can't access our data and documents on the road.
Linux supports several tunneling and secure remote access services. Whether
you need only a simple command line or remote access to a GUI application,
Linux can support it.
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I'd like to work at home from time to time, but everything I need is on
my work computer.
With a DSL or Cable connection to your home, you can easily access your
work system securely with tunneling software such as IPSec and SSL.
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Some of our computers don't connect to a printer
Linux allows you to share printers easily on the network. Whether several
printers are attached to a single PC or to separate print server units, you
can use Linux to consolidate and manage all the devices. Can't attach that
LaserJet to your Mac? Attach it to the Linux server instead, and select the
printer from the Chooser or Network utility. The various Linux printing
systems offer unmatched flexibility, including the ability to create
industry standard PDFs (Portable Document Format) without additional
packages.
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Our network doesn't support the applications I need to run my
business.
The majority of businesses use some form of integrated office suite (
OpenOffice,
StarOffice,
KOffice),
E-Mail client (
Evolution,
KMail ), and
web browser (
Netscape,
Mozilla,
Opera). Unlike closed suites such as MS Office, these applications do
not try to lock users into an upgrade cycle by using arbitrarily
incompatible formats. Do you want your data under someone else's control?
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Our network frequently crashes.
This one is fun to answer :). Routine reboots are not necessary for properly
configured Linux machines. Technical Support from one server OS company once
advised me that I should reboot the database server once a week to ensure
stable operation. (!). Does that make sense to you? Though no OS is immune
to viruses and trojan horses, the Linux privilege system minimizes the
damages that these malicious programs can wreak. Unlike many other OSes that
require multiple reboots during routine software updates, Linux can be
updated without ever taking the system offline.
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We can't find qualified/knowledgeable support.
Companies such as
RedHat and
Mandrake
offer Linux installation and maintenance support.
In addition, because the underlying source code for the operating system and
support applications and readily available, the system itself can be
customized to your in-house needs. There are also many free support areas
available, whether through web references or vendor support forums, that
minimize the response time to your questions.
If you checked any of the above, your business could greatly benefit from a
Linux server for small business. Please also take time to follow the links at
the end of the page and read the articles. Whether or not you decide to use
a Linux solution, it's important that you hear both sides of the issue rather
than just the Microsoft version:
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