Research question: Linux for small business?

[RachmatA]

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Hello everyone

I am a student from the University of New south Wales, Australia. I am currently writing a research paper about Linux adoption for small business, so i am very interested in the community experience and feeling about this subject

These are many technical factors cited by computer expert regarding Linux adoption, but then again to understand deeply about factors that influence small business owner decision to choose linux, we need to know directly from them. What consideration they make when making this choice, what strategic business plan that make them choose windows, why this particular business situation force them to choose linux, et cetera.

I will post questions to start the discussion in this subject and then gather all reply as my data for further analysis. Your answer, thoughts, opinion, or comment is highly appreciated.



If you are currently managing business, or had business experience in the past, or in the planning stage to start a new one, feel free to answer any of these following questions
• What do you think in general about Linux operating system?
• Will you choose Linux operating system for your business computing needs? Please describe your reasons.
• If you do not like the current state of Linux, what change you want to see that might encourage small business to use it?
• If you had experience in deploying Linux for your business, please share it in this thread. What are the difficulties you encountered? How do you solve it?




Really hoping for a feedback from you all,

[doboloh]

• What do you think in general about Linux operating system?
free, customizable

• Will you choose Linux operating system for your business computing needs? Please describe your reasons.
even though i favor linux, it will depend on the type of business and the product i will be selling.

• If you do not like the current state of Linux, what change you want to see that might encourage small business to use it?
change the things i saw that i didn't like is a good encouragement.

• If you had experience in deploying Linux for your business, please share it in this thread. What are the difficulties you encountered? How do you solve it?
no business yet.

[hacxcena]

I very inclined in using linus operating system. For now linux OS is mostly the same with windows and functionalities. It has already a GUI. It is not vulnerable to any viruses and it has also all the applications you need just like in windows. You can use the Openoffice equivalent to microsoft office, the thing is linux don't have enough promotions and marketing that's why people alwasy tend to use windows. If your business is small im sure you just need the basic functionss of microsoft office which can also be found in opne office. Why not pay more for all of the functinalities which we don't use. Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop is great.

[miguelboom]

I am not a business man, but I am a web developer...

Well, as far as I know about Linux...

In my side, if I have the right money for the right services, I prefer to choose Linux/UNIX servers on a web hosting company for my files and pages, because Linux is really a secure server with regards to fact, indeed it's capability is very far compared to Windows servers.

Though it has some support defeciences on some drivers but it when it comes to web hosting, Linux is unquestionable.

Linux is very capable of being a web server, ftp server, database server, mail server and news server.

But it could still be vulnerable to any harmful data's in the net but it's not like Windows and Mac.