Whenever I ever suggest to people, public or private sector, the notion of utilising free and open-source software I always receive the same response: “It’s not the industry standard”.
I do not see a single reason why people should adhere to a standard piece of software. I’m sure if you renamed the title bar of OpenOffice.org Writer to Microsoft Word, 99% of people would not notice the difference! So why do they elect to stick with the most popular piece of software?
For example, most schools will use Microsoft Office instead of OpenOffice.org, despite the expense to the tax payer. If you ask why they choose to use MS Office, they will say it’s important because businesses use Microsoft Office and that it is the industry standard.
So why do businesses, which are normally capitalist establishments, lower their profits by paying for software? Probably because their employees are only trained for Microsoft Office. Who trains them? Businesses and schools, who train using MS Office.
I’m sure 75% of people could do whatever they want to do using OpenOffice.org just through their MS Office training (we might have issues with macros etc.). They’re just scared.
It’s a vicious cycle: people get trained for Microsoft Office, business demands Microsoft Office so more people get trained through Microsoft Office.
Can the cycle be broken? Probably not but if it did, it would require bold moves. Governments would have to encourage the education system to use FOSS as well as governmental departments, forcing businesses to change. This will never happen due to vested interests and (not to be horrible) technical ignorance amongst governments (the internet’s a series of tubes according to Sen. Ted Stevens).
Tags: opensource, software, linux, openoffice.org, education
“why do businesses, which are normally capitalist establishments, lower their profits by paying for software?”
Exactly.
My (non capitalist) workplace switched to Linux a couple of years back. We get lot of volunteers passing through. Once the initial panic when I ask “Have you used Linux before?” is over and I’ve shown them the ropes, they often remark. “It’s just like Windows.”
First, I have to say I agree with you absolutely. Most people don’t even use 95% of what Word/Excel can do.
They just need a blank slate to put words on.
That being said, having worked in IT for various governments and large corporation I can tell you the biggest thing holding OSS back is a proper support plan.
Businesses use Microsoft Office because it’s been tested to death with their current configuration of software and hardware. Also, they can get support from Microsoft if needed.
Yes, the support for OSS is most of the time on par or better than what Microsoft has. However, you have to hunt for it. That’s not going to fly with corporate IT and Finance departments.
What’s the point of free if they can’t support it? Also, if it breaks, there’s no 800 number to call. Even if you never, ever use it, there is something to be said for having that option.
If OSS gets more organized and offers support plans and the like, then we will more of a move into large businesses and governments. Until then, The MS Office cycle continues.
I dare to disagree..
I fail to remember how often I removed well-known bugs from M$ Word or Excel for a user which would just have stuck with the problem for the time being (the obnoxious site count error, for instance)
I have yet to encounter any IT division (though I have to admit that my experience is somewhat limited to companies up to middle size of ~400 workers) that would call Microsoft Support instead of researching the problem on the net and solving it in probably a few minutes.
There are little companies that don’t have any sort of IT support of their own, which are always called for before attending the vendor of the software.
Yes, there are quite some pieces of OSS that have little to none support whatsoever, but we were talking OpenOffice here. I honestly believe there is no regular problem a “standard” Word user encounters using OpenOffice that cannot be solved with a quick call to the own IT specialists.
Leaves me to agree that even if the IT division of a company is in charge of making such a decision, that they are indeed scared of the effort they would have to put in it for the first year or what.
The company I work atm for has some really strange policies regarding the spending of their money, and paying for unneccessary Microsoft-Software is only one of the minor – and cheaper – ones, but with roughly 200 workplaces using fully licensed Microsoft Office and the next versions coming up, they could save lots of money. Yet they don’t, at least until I have control of the IT there, which is only a matter of time
I really think the change is possible, but it will be a slow one, and it will inevitably be brought to us by the sole purpose of saving money. As long as there is enough money to buy – in my opinion overpriced – software, they will continue using it.
You are so so right.
Microsoft word is way easier to use than OpenOffice, and it has many more features. Especially the 2007 version. I would be horrified if my school decided to use OpenOffice.
I’m also hesitant to believe that the transition would be seamless. The people who write about switching to OSS are the ones who have computer skills and know how to make things work when they don’t look 100% like what they’re used to. It would be a major headache to switch to (in my opinion) a worse piece of software.