Re: [Fsfe-uk] An ignorant question?

[ian]

On Tue, 2003-06-10 at 10:45, Neil Darlow wrote:
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> 
> Hi,
> 
> On Tuesday 10 Jun 2003 10:10 am, Chris Puttick wrote:
> > Seconded on the name change option - and seeing as how Flossie (nee
> > SQL-Ledger...) is written in Perl, could not your objections to dependence
> > on a web server be resolved through
> >
> > https://sourceforge.net/projects/wxperl/
> >
> > http://wxwindows.org/
> >
> > or similar?
> 
> Very probably but contrast the ability for Joe Public to buy a copy of e.g. 
> Sage or QuickBooks, install it and be up and running within half an hour with 
> the need to install apache, MySQL and SQL Ledger and configure them before 
> being able to start working.

So why can't these be packaged to set up and work out of the box? In
fact I think the "Sage Instant Accounts" market is different from the
Sage Line 50 etc market. Most companies of even a few people are likely
to have their accounting systems set up for them. We bought in both
training and set up time for Sage. If you are talking about a basic
accounting system for individuals and part timers its one thing. I think
we need accounts that can be used by SMEs not just individuals. The
thing that prevents us moving from Sage to SQL ledger at the moment is
not having say Apache etc set up, its moving all the accounts
data,replacing some FoxPro stuff that links into Sage and retraining
staff used to using Sage. By comparison, setting up Apache and MySQL is
trivial.

> Let's not forget these are people who wouldn't have a clue how to install a 
> RPM and yet we're advocating this as a solution.

I'm not. I'm advocation selling them a solution by providing the service
to set it all up. If they can't download a RPM, even setting up Sage
would be well beyond them. Its not like installing a Word processor
because you have to understand accounting systems in general as well as
some of the technical stuff.

>  It's fine for those running 
> support companies because it earns them money but, let's be sensible here, 
> installing Windows software is pretty much a no-brainer these days.

I think this is seriously misleading in certain applications areas. It
may be easy to install, but setting it up to work functionally is a
different issue. Depends which software you mean. I reckon some
GNU/Linux software is easier to set up eg Mandrake 9.1 cf Windows XP, a
of other stuff is more difficult but its getting better.

>  The same 
> can't be said of comparable free software.

It can in certain apps but certainly not in all.

-- 
ian <address@hidden>