04.23.07
Desktop Recommendations For Non-IT Staffers
Many times, companies may wish to leave the dominant platform (that is, operating system, office suite, Web browser, and other associated software) because of such problems as spyware and virus/trojan/worm infections. At the same time, they may wish to continue to enable non-technical users to perform their duties. If this describes your company, we have two suggestions for you.
Let me note that these two suggestions are for non-technical users as well as technical users. Technical users should also consider three more options, which will be discussed later.
First, some assumptions:
- Reasonably new hardware, say a year or two old, with a Pentium 4 or equivalent processor running at 2 GHz or higher clock speed.
- At least 512 MB of RAM. These systems will run with 256 MB, but opening multiple applications at once can sometimes be slow.
- A technical person to help you get set up and to do occasional maintenance work on your systems. Obviously, it is always better if this person is internal to your company, because he or she is more likely to understand the particular challenges that your business faces. Likewise, he or she will have direct insight into exactly what software your users need in order to do their jobs effectively.
On to the recommended desktops:
Linux Mint is an easy-to-use Linux-powered desktop with Sun Java and Adobe Flash pre-installed. It comes with the Evolution e-mail & calendaring client installed. In my tests, it picks up the wireless card on my Dell XPS M140 notebook computer better than Windows does—I saw some nearby networks that I hadn’t picked up in almost a year. I was able to head over to YouTube and watch videos, listen to streaming audio feeds, and even view AOL video (which I had never before been able to see with my standard security settings).
With its GNU+Linux operating system and its customized GNOME desktop, Linux Mint is one of the best out-of-the-box experiences I have ever had. It gives the “WOW” that Windows Vista promises, without all of the anti-user and anti-purchaser stalkerware built into Vista. Linux Mint is so exciting that I may even make it my primary desktop.
If you have a Windows domain server and need your desktops to integrate with it, Xandros is the desktop for you. It easily integrates with Active Directory and domain controllers, PPTP VPNs, and can run both OpenOffice.org and Microsoft Office software. Xandros is all business, including the ability to install Internet Explorer 6 and run some ActiveX controls. Switching to Xandros is relatively painless for small-scale conversions and pilot projects. As the number of desktops involved increases, it is worthwhile to get the network control tools they offer.
This one has a little bit of configuration involved. This is not difficult, and is roughly comparable to the configuration needed for using Windows 2000 in the same situation.
Linux Mint uses the same software packaging system as the Debian and Ubuntu families of GNU+Linux operating systems. In fact, Mint is based on Ubuntu. Linux Mint’s desktop places the taskbar in the familiar bottom of the desktop, as opposed to the top (common on GNOME-based desktops such as Ubuntu and Fedora) and removes the multiple desktops feature to make it more familiar to Windows users. Xandros is also a Debian-based operating system, but has packages certified for corporate use available from the Xandros corporate servers for paid subscribers. Xandros now features 3D desktops.
Linux Mint is a free download. Xandros has a free “community version” and the fully-supported commercial version.
For more technically-inclined users, these are still good desktops, but will require some tweaks in order to satisfy. For such users, I would recommend Kubuntu or Ubuntu; Fedora (especially if you like to fiddle and customize things); or PC-BSD.
In each of these desktops, the system is designed in ways that minimize the damage that viruses, worms, and other malware can do. No system can prevent a user from giving bad software as much access as he or she has, but these desktops generally limit the damage in ways that Windows was not designed to do. Despite the advertising of the major anti-virus vendors, it not generally necessary to install anti-virus in GNU+Linux-based or BSD-based operating systems, although I generally do install ClamAV or similar products. I would certainly use Linux-native protection instead of the corporate Symantec subscription on Linux or BSD systems.
If you are considering upgrading or replacing your Microsoft Windows 2000 or Microsoft Windows XP desktops, I would encourage you to consider Linux Mint and Xandros for your non-technical users and those two plus Ubuntu/Kubuntu, Fedora, or PC-BSD for your technical users.
