No Linux for my practice computers
My Windows-(NT, urrgs) driven practice software, which is responsible for the patient´ s database and especially for accounting, really sucks: slow and sluggish, demanding, failure-prone.
I would like to change to….. LINUX!
But unfortunately this does not seem the right time for the migration: medical software packages for Linux do not seem to exist in ways and stages that would allow to base my “business” on.
Commercial packages that once existed seem to have been abandonded, as well as efforts to port existing Windows software.
Free software is not yet usable (see GnuMed) and I am not sure support for it will ever be reliable, although even there some things seem to be on the move.
So migration will have to wait and my practice is still proudly powered by Microsoft Windows. Congrats.
Migrations always involve always a mass of data conversion, that cost both a lot of time and money. If you are looking for a free practice software you should check http://www.care2x.com/ Actually care2x is for hospitals. I heard, that they are also planning to introduce a stripped down version for practice usage. I’m already watching this development, because due to the internship at the “Bezirksklinikum Mainkofen” I got a little bit touched by the matter
I once attended a linux training and love it. Thing is people have grown used windows that they aren’t willing to change. Me included.
Well, I agree with that about 50 %. For me, the GUIs like GNOME and KDE are still not on that level Windows is. By means of usability and continuity trough the several applications. I for myself am not the biggest windows fan, but I still didn’t make the change from Windows to Linux. On the otherside I have to say, that I have no Windows server running. All my boxes, at work or at home which serve network things (WWW, FTP, SMTP, SMB, etc.) are all on Debian Linux. Daemons don’t need GUIs!!!
milktea -
thanks for your comment. I just love it when someone reads my blog, I fear only VERY few people do.
As for Linux, as long as you feel good with whatever OS you work with there really is no need to change.
For me Linux became interesting when I got my first dedicated line to the Internet in 1996 and there seemed to be no other reasonable way of implementing a firewall than do it on a Linux machine.
I like Linux for several reasons:
- I can do without a GUI, if I want. Just plain ole text commands and I know what I am doing. GUIs do mysterious things (in my view).
- Linux is affordable - not much hardware requirements, and - even better loads of excellent software free. Windows is much more expensive (which is not quite correct,either, because in most cases Windows and programs come anlong with your machine).
- I like the Open Source idea
- Linux is VERY stable (I won´ t comment on other OSes, for of course everything depends on how you use and care for your computer)
- I am a nerd
I am a nerd too. LOL.