[olug] How's Running a Linux Desktop at Work?

[Kenny Kant]

On Mon, 2006-07-31 at 19:35 -0700, Aaron Grothe wrote:

>  Q) If you have multiple machines which is the primary?

N/a only one machine now.

>  Q) Are you actually allowed to run Linux on your desktop or are you running "under the radar"?

I was "under the radar" for awhile with my Linux desktop.  I was using
Windows 98 (dont laugh) as my primary but finally got fed up with it and
switched.

Now I have spoken to my boss and he is fine with me officially running
Linux on the machine.  I was even given the ok to do this on my new work
machine which came pre-installed with XP ;)

>  Q) Did you install Linux or did come that way from your tech group?

Self


>  Q) Are you encouraged, allowed or just tolerated?

As long as we can get our work done this is allowed.

 
>  Q) How many people have you been able to convert?

I work for a tech consulting firm which is getting heavy into Linux so
conversion is not needed.  However alot of folks are still running Win
desktops.  A Co-Worker of mine has been running Suse 10.1 as his primary
for awhile now though and I think many others will begin to switch to
Suse here.  Most have a Linux machine as a secondary in some form except
for the die hard MS dudes :)
 
>  Q) What are you running?

I have been running Debian Sarge and will be switching over to Ubuntu
6.06 LTS tomorrow with my new trusty Ubuntu DVD from Amazon :)  At home
my main machine has come up through the ranks in the Ubuntu world I
started with Warty.  My server machine has jumped between debian, ubuntu
and is now Suse 10.1
 
>  Q) What has been the biggest challenge in going to Linux?

Biggest challenge was not actually a Linux limitation but rather a side
effect of sorts.  We have an internal app we use to track time which is
Windows only, and he do have access to a MetaFrame server to run it if
we choose.. however the meta frame server is ancient (NT4.0 stuff) and I
had a bitch of a time getting a Citrix client for ubuntu to work with
it.  Finally I had to gun down to the Citrix 6.5 client... which took
awhile to find! :)   

Due to the super oldness of the Meta Frame server it is going to be
retired so I am faced with trying to find a way to utilize our internal
app.  To solve this problem I will be creating a Vmware virtual machine
and running my assigned copy XP just for this app. 

At home I find myself really wanting to play some games... I have Ages 3
I want to play but cant :( ...and one can only play IDSoftware games so
much :D 

>  
>  Q) Thing that most suprises people about your desktop?

Quotes I have heard "Why arent you running Slackware?"
                    "WTF is Ubuntu?"

Nothing of a surprise, my machines have been rock solid since moving..
and extremely fast so I have been very pleased having them as primary in
both locations.  Printer setup in Ubuntu is very easy this was a nice
surprise also...


Great thread, I look forward to reading answers from others.


Kenny