which company's use Open source and Linux based OS's

[Not unique]

Hi I am putting a site together to show off and promote open source software originally it was to be aimed at charities but after considering including small businesses too I have made it more general. So I need help the main the right now I need is advice like what Open software you use and recommended and especially which company's use Open source and Linux based OS's but any advice is welcome as my web design skills are also limited but I have managed to put a basic set of pages together for a start also a local charity has offered to help with funding etc.
P.S. Unlike other sites I hope to offer specific advice in a friendly manner though to promote Open source software as I said mainly to charities as I think they could benefit the most from Open software.

[smileyacid]

Are Google's products i.e. Google earth and Picasa etc actually Open source?

[Not unique]

Hi I am putting a site together to show off and promote open source software originally it was to be aimed at charities but after considering including small businesses too I have made it more general. So I need help the main the right now I need is advice like what Open software you use and recommended and especially which company's use Open source and Linux based OS's but any advice is welcome as my web design skills are also limited but I have managed to put a basic set of pages together for a start also a local charity has offered to help with funding etc.
P.S. Unlike other sites I hope to offer specific advice in a friendly manner though to promote Open source software as I said mainly to charities as I think they could benifit the most from Open software.

[SavageWolf]

Doesn't the US department of defence or something use it?

Also, a lot of the bigger companies use it, especially if they have "web based" thingies, like banks and such. Not to mention like 95% of the top 100 supercomputers, and such...

And yes, Google use Linux. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goobuntu

[uRock]

Not a support request. Moved the the Community Café.

[MG&TL]

Errr...start by cataloging launchpad. ;)

https://launchpad.net/

There is so much stuff up there, it's unbelievable.

[MG&TL]

But if you're going for charities:

-libreoffice.

[ugm6hr]

UK companies using OSS who are clients of Sirius IT are listed on their website.

They're obviously not small business though, and have paid support.

[Porcini M.]

Companies wanting to minimize their IT costs should use open source software for their servers.

[Not unique]

I am MORE interested in the general stuff right now I know that servers and supercomps use Linux but most office machines use Windows and that will be my strongest starting point.
Finding company's that use Linux is much much easier than company's that use Open source software I have found.

[Not unique]

Although as a long time Ubuntu user I will try promte Linux os's Ubuntu in particular.

[Spice Weasel]

Companies wanting to minimize their IT costs should use open source software for their servers.

So training employees and preparing everything for the new system won't cost any money?

[KiwiNZ]

So training employees and preparing everything for the new system won't cost any money?

If they are working directly with a Company's Servers I would assume that they are trained.

I haven't come across company's ( successful ones ) that let untrained Server Admins lose on their kit.

[haqking]

Companies wanting to minimize their IT costs should use open source software for their servers.

the TCO is way more than than a price of a product.

[SavageWolf]

To be honest "It lowers the cost of your IT" probably sounds better than "It's more secure and robust" to one of those boss type people who doesn't know about them newfangled computer thingamajigs.

[Not unique]

True but I thinking mainly of general software and I can't see most people having massive problems switching from the likes of MS Office - Open or Libre office or from Photoshop - GNU,I,M,P.

[KiwiNZ]

True but I thinking mainly of general software and I can't see most people having massive problems switching from the likes of MS Office - Open or Libre office or from Photoshop - GNU,I,M,P.

There is a lot of issues moving from MS Office to say Open Office. I trialed it as CIO and it was horrendous and I abandoned the trial.

As for changing from Photoshop to Gimp, I have never tried it in an enterprise environment I have however tried on my own at , no, Gimp does not compare to Photoshop.

[Not unique]

Surely for general stuff Photoshop is not necessary I find Gnu IMP more than adequate same too for MS office to Open/Libre office or Abiword however I can see people not liking it but that's part of the sites job.

[ninjaaron]

The FBI uses OpenBSD.

[KiwiNZ]

Surely for general stuff Photoshop is not necessary I find Gnu IMP more than adequate same too for MS office to Open/Libre office or Abiword however I can see people not liking it but that's part of the sites job.

It's called GIMP

As for Office in the large Enterprise and SME market the switch will bring many issues, Compatibility with current software relationships, compatibility with inter company relationships to name a couple not to mention Staff training.

[Not unique]

Thanks for the info and I know it's called Gimp well GNU Image Manipulation Program but it is a stupid name can you imagine if the government wanted to save money and promoted it in schools up and down the country "ha ha gimp" and "mommy whats a gimp" WOW so I like to refer to it as GNUimp or some thing else for my site with gimp in brackets.

[KiwiNZ]

Thanks for the info and I know it's called Gimp well GNU Image Manipulation Program but it is a stupid name can you imagine if the government wanted to save money and promoted it in schools up and down the country "ha ha gimp" and "mommy whats a gimp" WOW so I like to refer to it as GNUimp or some thing else for my site with gimp in brackets.

Gimp is recognized by anyone who uses Photo software for a job. Use GNUimp and it will look like a new product. Always go with known branding.

[Not unique]

Anyway I think we are getting off track so if any has suggestion, recommendations or advice please help (bump(.

[markp1989]

http://www.cargiant.co.uk/

Car Giant in Neasden (London) were running Xubuntu on their reception pcs when I visited there about 2 years ago.

the software they were using for the customer and car info was web based, so they were using Xubuntu and firefox to access it.

[Not unique]

cool but how can I verify this? ... maybe an Email ?

[markp1989]

cool but how can I verify this? ... maybe an Email ?

I dunno if they are still using the same system now, this is a thread I made when i first saw it.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1122658

Would be worth sending an email, the worst that can happen is that they don't reply.

[earthpigg]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Linux_adopters#Business

[Not unique]

Thank you Earthpig that was a fantastic find I had not seen that one much appreciated.

[earthpigg]

:)

Never forget that Wikipedia is run by nerds.