What's the point in doing this?
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| litosteel Oct 03, 2009 1:19 PM EDT |
I cannot understand why some people will want to install MS Office in linux. May i have a close mind, but what will the benefits be? You need to pay for a license (something like $150) the only chance to use this is when you received a donated software or perhaps some friends forgot you use linux and they gave you this MS Office Suite with all their hearts. Am i fooling or what? |
| Bob_Robertson Oct 03, 2009 1:35 PM EDT |
> Am i fooling or what? A business with a site license for MSOffice might want to do this. That's about the only reason I can think of. I use OOo. |
| snowman Oct 03, 2009 7:40 PM EDT |
I HAVE to use MS Office, although I try to use OOo as much as possible. I have to submit presentations at conferences (always in .ppt format) & scientific journals often only accept .doc files (although some also accept LaTex) The OOo conversions to MS formats just don't work for complex documents with tables, figures and equations, so I have to load them into MS Office to reformat them - I have had some nasty surprises when depending on the OOo export filters. For some reason, Impress seems to be much worse than Writer. The same is true when sharing files with co-workers who also use MS products - I can't depend on OOo. It's too bad really - I'd really prefer not to use MS. |
| hughesjr Oct 04, 2009 8:44 AM EDT |
If I needed to run windows things on Linux, I would highly recommend installing a Windows XP (or Windows 7) virtual machine using something like Virtual Box on your Linux host OS. I use the latest VirtualBox on CentOS-5 on my Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop. All the network, sound and video options work for a WIndows XP and Windows 7 VM and you can install Microsoft Office (or any other windows based programs that you need). I use (and recommend) VirtualBox for this, but VMWare and KVM can also be used ... as can Xen. Of course, you have to buy a valid version of WindowsXP or Windows7 to use this, but if you really need Windows programs this is what I would recommend. |
| jdixon Oct 04, 2009 1:41 PM EDT |
> ...but if you really need Windows programs this is what I would recommend. Agreed, but you'll want to make sure your machine has enough memory to handle the virtual machine as well as you're own needs. With Windows XP, this means at least 512 MB dedicated to the virtual machine. With Windows 7, I'd allow at least 1 GB for the virtual machine. preferably more. At the moment, the RC version of Windows 7 should still be a free download from Microsoft, and it should be good for about another 6 months or so. |
| Bob_Robertson Oct 04, 2009 4:38 PM EDT |
> I use (and recommend) VirtualBox for this, but VMWare and KVM can also be used ... as can Xen. Yesterday I realized that if I discuss Windows with someone in the future, I'm going to refer to it as "barely workable as an applications platform", but otherwise "inadequate as an operating system". Windows itself is insecure and cumbersome, exactly what you do not want in a system's primary OS. The only rational way to use Windows is virtualized, for those few applications that are written for it that won't run with WINE, to isolate it from those things which Windows just doesn't deal with well: The Open Network. |
| tracyanne Oct 04, 2009 5:09 PM EDT |
@JD, I find 1 Gig for XP, if I want to run anything useful, like Visual Studio. I haven't tried running anything useful on Windows 7 but it seemed quite stable with 1 Gig. As always, with Windows I run with the "Performance" settings, which means the Windows 98 style desktop on XP and a Windows 98ish desktop on Windows 7. BTW my copy of Windows 7, which I downloaded from Microsoft, and which is supposed to start nagging you to buy a license, sometime next year, informs me that it may be a pirated version, and that in order to enjoy the benefits of Microsoft's security I need to get an approved copy. |
| jdixon Oct 04, 2009 6:34 PM EDT |
> I find 1 Gig for XP, if I want to run anything useful, like Visual Studio. Let's just say your definition of useful is different than mine. :) But yes, something like Visual Studio will require more memory. >my copy of Windows 7, which I downloaded from Microsoft ... informs me that it may be a pirated version, What else is new? :( This is why I still prefer Windows 2000 when I have to use Windows. |
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