Most of the commonly used Microsoft programs have Open Source versions including Microsoft Office alternatives. You can get information and download them them free at that link.

The only applications I really want that don’t work on Linux are the best contact manager program I’ve ever used Time & Chaos, a specialized pedigree program for horses, and Go to Webinar which STILL does not support Linux.
growmap would love you to read ..Why Small Business and Bloggers Can NOT Ignore Economic Decline and Occupy Wall Street (dofollow)

I never worry about what people say because, as you note, if they can’t find anything truthful to write they’ll just make things up anyway. As we know, the only way to avoid criticism is “to do nothing, be nothing, and say nothing”.

Can I just point out that I found no such thing?

The post this links to is headlined:
Ubuntu not ready for prime time, says Walt Mossberg

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2007/sep/14/ubuntunotreadyforprimetim

I am reporting Walt’s opinion. You refer to exactly the same story in your own excellent post.

Only idiot fanboys confuse reporting something with believing or saying something, and I’d rather you didn’t give the idiot fanboys any ammunition. They make up more than enough lies about me as it is

I had no idea there WAS an Add/Remove Program feature. I just found it. (Applications, Add/Remove). I am VERY new to Ubuntu and obviously managed to miss the obvious – and it appears that others have too.

I have now located the information you mention and added a new section called Official Ubuntu Reference Sources with links to the specific help files you “found” for me – and also a note on how to access them from any Ubuntu installation.

No matter how well anything is documented Newbies will still have to go through a learning curve and nothing helps as much as one-on-one instant help. Thank you for helping me so that I can help many.

I don’t remember if it’s this was by default, but the Add/Remove program should be in the *root* of one of the menus to make it more readily accessible… I have the alternate menu style that’s more like a “start button” under Windows.

The sad truth with computers (and I’m not saying this is the case with you) is that the majority of people *just barely* know how to use them. That is, they can click the start button find their program and use maybe about 10% of its features. Regardless of the operating system, if something isn’t setup by default most people are going to have difficulty setting it up and aren’t resourceful enough to check the help file or search the web.

I myself had to install a program on a Mac and was a bit flummoxed by the process… Something about a .dmg file and it was installed, but not really installed (mounted?), etc… Compared to checking off a program in Add/Remove (once you know it’s there) installing (and keeping upgraded) software on other O/S’s is a nightmare. On Windows it seems every program has its own “update manager” that is constantly phoning home and annoying users with balloons and what-not.

People want computers to be like appliances, but regardless of the O/S they are not. Computers are complicated devices, and if you’re clueless on certain other O/S’s you’ll find yourself with a disk full o’viruses or not being able to get what you want done.

The irony is that Linux (esp. Ubuntu) is very good for the novice user who want to perform simple tasks accomplished with the included software, or for the expert that wants to do complicated things and knows how to get the job done. Where you often run into trouble at this stage is with the quasi-experienced user who wants to perform some intermediate activity and is well versed in Linux or does not know how to find out what they need to do…

Ubuntu comes with a PDF viewer pre-installed… no selecting needed…

Installing Software/Adding Features…. You’re much better using the Add/Remove Program feature (vs. Synaptic) which features clear descriptions of programs which are not only categorizes programs, but also rates them based on popularity.

A quick search for “installing softwate” in Ubuntu Help would have told you this (no need to go looking off at other sites). But I suppose users don’t think to use the built-in help regardless of what O/S they use…

“In his excellent post he asks “why can’t I just install an executable or msi file and be done with it? Linux doesn’t work that way which is why it will never be ready for Joe Schmo user…”.”
– Ummm Ubuntu/Debian linux has these things call .deb’s which pretty much do what you’re asking… Although for the most part not necessary as most any software is already in the repos and available via Add/Remove… This is a little like chastising Windows for not running Mac .dmg install files…

Check out the built-in help in Ubuntu sometime (not the “man” pages). I think you’ll find it very easy to understand and written for non-geeks.