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Date:      Sun, 15 Dec 1996 11:33:56 -0800 (PST)
From:      "Craig Shaver" <craig@ProGroup.COM>
To:        questions@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: Applications for freeBSD
Message-ID:  <199612151933.LAA10292@seabass.progroup.com>
In-Reply-To: <199612151550.HAA00278@papillon.lemis.de> from "Greg Lehey" at Dec 15, 96 07:49:59 am

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> 
> cruisey@b022.aone.net.au writes, with lines up to 321 characters long:
> 
> (Please excuse me for making the text legible)
> 
> > I am not sure that I should be asking you this question, but I've
> > been looking for an hour and a half on the internet and even though
> > I have traced several leads, I am no closer to resolving things.
> >
> > To me, nearly all basic computing in an office needs wordprocessing,
> > spreadsheeting and database (with programming language)
> > software. Since Windows based programs exist everywhere, it would be
> > important for me that such unix programs can readily be used (ie
> > just as friendly) by staff who would be asked to convert over.
> 
> The good news is: they exist.  Try sc or oleo for the spreadsheet,

Ecch!

> Postgres95 for the database, and any of a plethora of text formatters

Watch out for bugs in pg95, it is a work in motion right now.  It will
be a good dbms in a few more months (yrs?).

Try mSQL for the database, and check out the contrib software.

> (first and formost groff and TeX) for the "word processor".

Ecch!

> 
> The bad news is, they won't find instant staff acceptance, to put it
> mildly.  IMO the spreadsheets are just plain weak, the database stuff
> is not oriented towards Windows-like display, and the word-processing
> stuff I use would give your staff the screaming heeby-jeebies.  I've
> been told that Lyx isn't bad, however.
> 
> The trouble with this kind of software is that hackers don't enjoy
> writing it, so there aren't many Windows-like applications out there.
> The ones that are available cost money.  Word Perfect is available for
> SCO and, I think, Linux, and I've been told that it works well under
> FreeBSD.
> 
> > So where can I find a thorough listing of such software or better
> > still, are there people out there who are familiar with my situation
> > and can point me to a suite (or good selection) of quality software
> > products.
> 
> A priori you can expect that stuff which runs under BSD/OS will run
> under FreeBSD.  Install the appropriate emulators, and you can run SCO
> or Linux stuff.  And take a look at the directory /packages on the
> first CD-ROM for available free software.
> 
> Greg
> 
> 

I would look into the Applix suite of office software.  I think they even
take the M$ files without having to convert them.  They may only be available
on Linux.  Red Hat has been pushing this stuff, and I have seen some of the
apps a long time ago.


-- 
Craig Shaver  (craig@progroup.com) (415)390-0654 
Productivity Group POB 60458 Sunnyvale, CA  94088



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