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On Sun, 30 Aug 1998, Joel Stone wrote:

> REX BALLARD wrote:
> 
> > On Mon, 24 Aug 1998, Joel Stone wrote:
> >
> > Very observant.  I use Linux at home, and often post from the Linux
> > box there.  At work, the company has threatened to fire anyone who
> > tries to put Linux on a workstation.
> 
> That's a shame - for just such reasons, I always bring up Linux specifically in
> job interviews in order to get clear approval for a Unix desktop before agreeing
> to take a position.

Actually, I did the same thing.  It's strange, I have accepted 4 positions
where I was assured that I would have permission to use Linux as a
workstation, and use UNIX for servers (including Linux).  Within
days of accepting each position, an executive, reccomended by Microsoft,
was positioned as my immediate superior or my VP.

Most recently, I've gone undercover, working for a company that isn't
publicly held.  This is changing, but by the time the company goes
public, Linux will be a workable alternative.

> > I've been trying to get approval
> > for a year now.  I'm also in the process of getting Linux approved
> > as a corporate standard for both servers and workstations.
> 
> I'm trying to do similar things here - the press is helping lately...

I am very close.  I have been sending clippings at least once each week.
Often, copy that I originated is showing up in several publications.  I've
even been paraphrased in Forbes.  I can't go on record as a member of my
company until they adopt Linux.

> > I expect
> > that it will take another 6-12 months.  It's a big company with
> > 100,000 workstations, 3000 servers (2300 are NT and not doing well).
> 
> My company is a little more open to Linux these days due to the flakiness of nt.

My company is very open to it.  But there is a lengthy standards review
procedure that can take months.  It took 9 months to have CORBA and JAVA
approved.

> Back in 1996 we had a single box that handled web, mail and dns. I added a Linux
> box as a backup mail and dns server, and it ran for 6 months without a reboot.
> (I then rebooted it to upgrade from Slackware 3.0 to Red Hat 4.2, and then just
> recently upgraded to Red Hat 5.1) The management is impressed with it, and are
> also impressed with the "Big Brother" network monitor that I set up -

I put up my first Corporate Linux box at Dow Jones in 1993.  You can
get the whole  story at
http://www.access.digex.net/~rballard/autobiography/Auto07.htm
 
> Keep fighting the good fight.
> 
> js
> 
> 

	Rex Ballard
	http://www.access.digex.net/~rballard
	this correspondence is personal opinion
	and does not necessarily reflect any corporate view.
	copyright 1998  - Rex Ballard



From rballard@access2.digex.net Tue Sep  1 01:24:09 1998
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