Anyone's ever made a succesfull implementation of Ubuntu / Linux ?

[MrPingo]

After having read about the project-management disaster in Vienna (AU), that for some reason is used to make Linux look bad..., I would like to know if any one has ever experienced a successful "Changing to Linux from Windows"-project ?
If yes, then how was it handeled?
What convinced the company to go ahead with Linux ?
What was done to activate the users ?
How was "problem-software" found, and the problems solved ?
Learning curves ?
Usercompliance with the project while the project is running ?
What after the project is finnished ?
A year later ???

I have a feeling that small bussinesses (carpenters, masons...,...) would benefit from Ubuntu as there office desktop, but has it ever been done succesfully ???

[aysiu]

Here's a parochial school that seemed to have a good transition:
http://www.ghca.com/computers/

[fatality_uk]

We are currently 75% of the way through a migration. Having changed from a Windows only business, I introduced FOSS, then Linux support contracts and we are now moving to a Linux only environment.

It isn't easy. From having been locked into a Windows vendor, for the last 4 years, the changes have to be made gradually, but they can be made.

[MrPingo]

Thank's for the feedback, but I really hoped more people had any experience with it...

I'm planning to start with going Open Office (Win) for all, and Ubuntu on a select few workstations (the openminded one's).
What's the normal problems changing from MS Office to Open Office ?

[DrMega]

When you consider a migration from Windows to Linux, and whether or not it was a nightmare, it would be easy to say that Linux is a nightmare as there was so much trouble in the transition.

I work in IT as a developer, and have seen many transitions within the scope of Windows, for example upsizing databases systems, merging networks to bring newly acquired companies into our domain, standardising desktop builds etc. They are a nightmare. Any major transition is a job from hell. So, when considering a migration from Windows to Linux, don't just consider the problems that could be blamed on the change of OS, consider the bigger picture,regardless of OS, how do you roll out the standard build to all users, how do you ensure that everyone has the appropriate network access and filesystem rights etc.

[Delever]

What's the normal problems changing from MS Office to Open Office ?

If someone is very used to MS Office, some re-learning may be needed. Especially with such features like tables, headers-footers, margins.
Not every document will look exactly the same in open office. Some may need fixing, and fixing will require to know how to fix.

For example, opening old document and finding that tables which were used as margins are not where they were supposed to be. Or exploited headers which made use of known word behavior (bug) may look bad. In worst scenario such documents are easier to remake than fix. Thats from my personal experience.

My solution is to have one machine with windows, ready to print from word. I'm just can't waste time remaking old stuff.