Linux for Non-Profits?

Glowing Fish asks: "I am volunteering for a non-profit that is currently in the process of giving away grants of systems (some using Linux and some without an OS) to various non-profit organizations. One of the problems is that many of these organizations have a somewhat skewed version of what they need, thinking they need Pentium IV systems with 100s of megs of RAM with Windows XP installed. I have been given the job of politely explaining that for most non-profit organizations, it is not necessary to have this type of computing power. What is the best (and politest) way to explain to people that they don't really need this type of computing investment? Without Microsoft-bashing, how would you explain the ever spiraling relationship between RAM and OS bloat? What type of systems would you suggest to a non-profit organization for office work, and why?"

Comments

It's simple

[Anonymous Coward]

Tell em beggars can't be choosers, and this is the computer they're getting. If they can't deal with it, they can go elsewhere. This is what my parents told me, and I've turned out well.

What will they need the software to DO?

[DesScorp]

The first cardinal rule of informatin technology is that it's there serve us, and make things more productive (and preferably easier). If they have a requirement that mandates MS software, than that's that. If they're using Great Plains financial stuff, for instance, they have no choice.

Now, if they don't have any esoteric requirements, then your advocacy becomes much easier. Assuming that their needs are small, tell them:

* Older machines have plenty of computing power if they're not used for things like high end games or Photoshop.

* Linux and other free software comes with no strings attached (we're talking end user here, not code. No need to confuse them about that).

* That the free software is easy to use. Show them modern window managers and the Webmin app.

* Explain that Microsoft is not "computers" or the "Internet", and that many other platforms can fill their needs. This one is important. You'd be amazed how many people think you can't use the Internet without Windows.

* Demonstrate KDE/Gnome, OpenOffice, and Mozilla to them. Show them that they work pretty much like similar Windows up. Go through it with them from bootup to shutdown, to put them at ease and make them feel comfortable with the software.

* Explain that this kind of software comes from volunteers, and that, should they need help, or even some coding, that volunteer spirit might come into play. People are willing to work on their own time for a good cause.

* Point out the flexibility that this software gives them; freedom to use it however they like, with no worry of licensing issues, flexibility to expand their capabilities as they're able, without fear of the Business Software Alliance knocking on the door going "Let's see those licenses".

* Perhaps most importantly, point out the business that use Linux and other free software as successful examples, to stress that Linux/Open Source isn't a fringe product. When people see organizations they know about using Linux, it helps put them at ease.

* Point out the security benefits; far fewer vulnerabilities, and they won't be running virus traps.

* NICELY point out that "beggars can't be choosers". This is a fallacy, because they can choose not to use any computers at all. If you care about the mission of the organization, and you want them to adopt used computers and OS software to help them succeed, persuade them, don't deride them. As Winston Churchill said, "A fly will be more attracted to a spoonfull of sugar than a bucketfull of bile".

What a Np needs

[tigersha]

Unlike most of the other posters here, I work for a non-profit as sysadmin and have for several years.

Here are some comments.

First, the cost of scrounging for parts and fixing up and mucking about and getting your time wasted with older machines is quite often more than the cost of just bloody buying a new one. A new Pentium wazoo with all the bells and whistles costs maybe, what, 500 Dollars? If you go for a slightly older machine such as a 1Ghz Duron or Celeron you can get a powerhouse for half that which is pretty OK, but which does not have wear and tear on the harddisks, which has enough space and which will not self-destruct from heat fatigue next week. And is under warranty, which comes in handy when it does blow up.

Yes, Staroffice or whatever runs OK on a 500Mhz Pentium III. But that same second-hand Pentium III is going to have an old harddisk which is going to croak sometimes. Older machines are finicky about the RAM they take. Try to make it work with a USB scanner is going to cause more fuss than its worth.

Most non-profits have a LOT of interaction with funding agencies and such things. These people ALL use Word. In such a case your staff will balk (legitimately) if your office program is "pretty OK" with interoperating with Word. After OpenOffice f^Hmucked up a document for for the third time (even only slightly) when it got passed around to someone in some agency with Word it really gets pretty damn annoying for both you and the guy who decides if you get the money or not.

Non-profits do publications and presentations and such. Someone mentioned Gimp. Gimp is a toy. If you want to real publications you need a vector drawing program and page layout program anyways. Despite Scribus, the only choices here are Quark (mucho expensive) and Indesign (pretty expensive, but cheper than Quark, but not used outside very much. See interaction with others above). Photoshop blows Gimp out of the water over and again and Photoshop Elements is a damn fine program and not expensive at all.

Another problem is that, unlike a corporation, a non-profit's gifts tend to be a rather, em, interesting mix of several different kinds of machines with different parts and makes which makes maintenance a problem.

Linux does have a good role to play for servers though. All our servers run it and its really better than Windoze at working on older computers.

A super fast machine at a non-profit does have a use for machines that gets shared by several users, such as a fileserver.

So, basically, giving older machines to non-profits is a nice gesture but the extra maintenance and effort to keep a bunch of old somewhat cranky machines with hard-to get parts that do not always play nice with modern equipment is something to keep in mind. The cost of keeping admin staff to maintain is probably not worth it.

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