[Linux-aus] Australian Ubuntu Local Community Team

[Brent Wallis]

Geoff,
Talk about timing!

Have just started on a job with a client that has been running RH9 for
almost 4 years
on 150 PCs. They run a call centre and are in the process of a takeover of
their final competitor in this country.

They need to upgrade in the not too distant future, and at the same time ,
almost double their number of desktops.

The client also has 12 odd Windows boxes for those that "have" to have
it.... He has clear evidence (IT support invoices) to show that those 12
boxes cost him more in maintenance over the last 3 years than what the 150
Linux boxen did, and, he is quite willing to tell the world about it.... He
has said more than once that he would not have made it this far so fast if
he had to run Windows in his call centre. HE puts it down to reliability. He
has given us a mandate to remove all of the Windows PCs providing we can
convince the users (with some help and pushing from him).

We were considering RH Desktops, the apps they use are all browser based so
it really doesn;t matter what they use.... I had started down the road of RH
because of the support...... but your announcement here changes things from
a business perspective for the client. It means that we can offer Ubuntu as
a choice because we won;t be slinging him with something that requires an
individual to maintain. If I amnd my team get hit by a bus....he can come to
you guys for help if he ever needs it!

They also run a few RHEL and Windows Servers.....we were going to go for a
big press release when the desktops and servers were finished being
upgraded..... this could be a great opp all round.

The only thing that I have trouble with it all, is support for visually
impaired users. A couple of his gun sales people have varying degrees of
impairment, and they get "sweaty" when we start talking about moving them
away from windows. This I understand....the re-learning for such an
individual would be a massive task.... so, there is a first prob to be
solved and it is maybe the first thing that the Ubuntu team could help with.

The other thing to note is that they have started using Asterisk to run 30
of their 90 phone lines....and are absolutely chuffed with what it can do.
All future offices will use Asterisk!
If it wasn;t for the fact that he had spent $50,000 on a PABX the entire 90
lines would be running on Asterisk....

What can we do? Do you think the group can get involved? If so, how? Would
you like to meet these guys with us? We could organise for their office in
Sydney or Melbourne...both CBD based.

For the moment, would like to keep this off list, the client needs to keep a
low profile the next couple of weeks while he is on market doing his
competitor buyout....
Regards

Brent Wallis
Mobile: 0408 576 779


On 3/22/06, Jeff Waugh <jdub at perkypants.org> wrote:
>
> Good morning freedom lovers!
>
> Today we are very pleased to announce the formation of the Australian
> Ubuntu
> Local Community Team. We're working on distributing, advertising and
> demoing
> Ubuntu within Australia, focusing on schools, business and home users.
>
> A number of communications tools have been established for discussion
> about
> local issues and projects:
>
> Mail list: ubuntu-au at lists.ubuntu.com
> Subscribe: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-au
>   IRC chat: #ubuntu-au on irc.freenode.net
>
> Please check our team's wiki page for more info:
>
>   https://wiki.ubuntu.com/AustralianTeam
>
> Thanks,
>
>   (I figured this may be of interest to linux-aus folks and my LUG
> comrades
>   here in Sydney - please pass it on to other LUGs as you see fit!)
>
> - Jeff
>
> --
> GUADEC 2006: Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spain
> http://2006.guadec.org/
>
>       "Creative thinkers make many false starts, and continually waver
>    between unmanageable fantasies and systematic attack." - Harry Hepner
>
> _______________________________________________
> linux-aus mailing list
> linux-aus at lists.linux.org.au
> http://lists.linux.org.au/listinfo/linux-aus
>
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