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MA Dept. of Revenue consider Linux

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the don't-fear-the-penguin dept.

hansroy writes "Massachusetts Department of Revenue is still using Windows 95 on the desktop. Faced with upgrade costs of $500-600 per user, they're considering Linux at about one-third the cost. This comes at a very good time, as the new governor of MA is making significant budget cuts this year."

3 of 340 comments (clear)

  1. I dunno by Erwos · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I gotta say, what's cheaper?
    1. $600 for WinXP
    2. Putting Linux on all the machines, configuring them to work interoperably with the Windows machines, and retraining everyone?

    No idea which really is cheaper, but I wouldn't automatically say "Linux is cheaper". Training costs money. Interoperability work costs money.

    -Erwos

    --
    Plausible conjecture should not be misrepresented as proof positive.
    1. Re:I dunno by jedidiah · · Score: 4, Interesting

      The old aphorism is more accurately stated as:

      "Linux is only free if you have more surplus time than money."

      This is more often the case than not.

      --
      A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
    2. Re:I dunno by Xtifr · · Score: 4, Interesting

      "Linux is only free if your time has no value"

      And conversely, Windows is only <whatever the sticker price happens to be> if your time has no value. Both systems have costs above and beyond the purchase price, not just Linux. And going from Win95 to XP would involve retraining as well. Things change -- I've still got a copy of MSWord 1.0 (for DOS and OS/2), and it bears little or no resemblance to the MSWord of today.