MS-Office to OpenOffice migration tips

This is a partial translation of a memo, covering MS-Office to OpenOffice
switching part of a Windows to Linux desktop migration. It's a bit old and
mixed with platform migration. I hope you will excuse my awkward language
due to translation. (Presupposing it is any better otherwise :)

Hope that it evolves into a useful document with corrections and
additions, to the point that it becomes useful.



As for the desktops, there could be several potential pitfalls as
described below:

1. Users being accustomed to working in Windows and MS-Office environments.

2. Minimal incompatibilities between MS-Office and OpenOffice. There can
be some slight skews or formatting differences observed, when some
complicated Word documents are opened with different word processors (even
between different versions of MS-Word). There's virtually 100%
compatibility for usual Word documents. For instance, this documents have
been created with OpenOffice 1.0.1. Additionally, OpenOffice is being
developed very actively. So I guess these incompatibilities should be even
lesser in the upcoming release (1.0.2).

3. [Off Topic]

4. OpenOffice know-how. In most work environments users usually help out
each other in using Office programs. In a classical company, there are
several power users highly knowledgable on Office programs, and other
workers frequently consult them when they need help. Upon switching from
MS-Office to OpenOffice, the fact that both the program to which users are
accustomed to has been changed, and there is no one in sight to help them
out, users experience hardships for the first few months.

5. In order to minimize the change-shock (and resistance) of users, there
need to be done several preparations before switching from Windows to
Linux on the desktop:

- Install (or switch to) Linux only on the server(s), but don't touch
desktops for the time being.

- Educate some insider power Office user (not a computer savvy person, but
someone who is a heavy Office suite user in due course of his normal
duties), on OpenOffice, and have him drop MS-Office completely in favor of
OpenOffice, and let him develop an OpenOffice know-how. Depending on the
size of customer, this can be several power users.

- On every desktop, install OpenOffice besides MS-Office, and install
Netscape and Opera besides Internet Explorer.

- Arrange an OpenOffice crash course (at least an introduction) for users,
and give away to each user a copy of a basic to mid level book covering
OpenOffice usage.

- Announce to users that there will be a switch in near future, and ask
them to use and get acquainted with the alternative programs. They won't
follow, but pre-announcing company policies and targets will encourage
them to behave positively at the upcoming steps.

- Spot the most complicated and actively used MS-Office documents and
spreadsheets in the company, and test them for compatibility with
OpenOffice. Find out the top 25 incompatibilities (if any), and start a
task force to correct these incompatible documents (and templates).
Alternatively, prepare a document listing those incompatibilities, their
remedies, and critical points to pay attention to for OpenOffice
compatibility in newly created documents. And pass a copy of the document
to every office worker.

- Throttle down IE bandwith to internet (via proxy on the server) to very
low speeds, or alternatively completely block IE access to Internet, to
encourage users to switch to Netscape or Opera by themselves. There is not
much need for advanced education of users in order to switch from IE to
Netscape or Opera. Perhaps an introductory seminar could be enough.
Usually they can cope easily with browser switching.

- OpenOffice can open and save documents in Word (.doc), Excel (.xls), and
Powerpoint (.ppt) formats. In addition to that, there are native
OpenOffice document formats for them (".sxw" for word-processor, ".sxc"
for spreadsheet, and ".sxi" for presentation). It's possible to convert a
document's format via opening it in OpenOffice, and then saving in the
alternative format. There is no need to convert old .doc/.xls documents to
.sxw/.sxc format. But a considerable amount of new documents that will be
injected into the corporate environment, must be created in native
OpenOffice format. This is crucial to gently force the users to train
themselves gradually in OpenOffice. For instance, since the OpenOffice
pilot user(s) are selected from among heavy users of Office suite,
document generation capacity of this individual(s) should be accordingly
high. If this individual(s) is asked to save all the documents they
generate in native OpenOffice format (.sxw/.sxc), then there would be a
considerable amount of native OpenOffice documents injected into the
working environment. Since only OpenOffice is able to process these
documents, all users will be automatically forced to use OpenOffice to
work with these documents. And since native OpenOffice documents will
gradually gain a circulation percentage in the company, thus the users
will be subjected to a gradual learning curve, which will also lessen the
the load on the OpenOffice "guru(s)" who also acts as a pilot help-desk on
OpenOffice. So depending on the volume, several OpenOffice gurus may be
needed in larger work places.

- When OpenOffice usage is settled down, uninstall MS-Office from the
desktops, and totally block IE access to internet.

- Observations show that if the users are easy with internet and office
applications (more precisely, with the applications they use everyday),
then it becomes much easier for them to cope with the change of the
underlying platform. Otherwise, they may project the difficulties they
experience due to application switch, to the change of underlying platform
(Linux), and thus they may perceive Linux as their source of
inconveniences. This may cause serious resistance and motivation decrease.
It is highly possible that a migration project can fail just because of
this. So it is vital to create a list of standard desktop applications,
and to switch to cross platform alternatives on Windows beforehand.

- Furthermore, the switch from Windows to Linux is divided into two
segments: First use alternative programs on the same platform (Windows),
and after digesting that, use the same programs on the alternative
platform (Linux). Thus, change shock on users is softened by spreading it
to a wide period of time.

- Again observations reveal that a complete computer illiterate user
learns OpenOffice easier and smoother than a veteran MS-Office user. It's
because veteran MS-Office users usually force their every chance of using
MS-Office to the ultimate extent, instead of going through the learning
curve of a new office suite. This includes illegally installing MS-Office
to their desktops, leaving their desks to use the PC (with MS-Office) of
someone else, or trying to enter their personal laptops to workplace.
However, MS-Office and OpenOffice are very similar to use. A veteran
MS-Office user can become an OpenOffice guru with quarter of the energy he
spends to resist it. So, it all revolves around the user's expectation and
hope. When there's no hope of way out, they will quickly cope with
OpenOffice. Otherwise they won't. Especially where high management doesn't
show absolute determination, or fail to communicate their determination
properly to the personnel, the migration from MS-Office to OpenOffice will
be very slow and painful, and probably will fail.

- It's important to introduce OpenOffice to high management, and have them
use it. When they personally know that OpenOffice is easy to use and fully
MS-Office compliant, they can be more confident, and they will show
determination against possible complaints from the field. If high
management don't share this opinion for OpenOffice, then no OpenOffice
(and thus no Linux) migration should be undertaken for that customer,
because it's obvious that it will fail.

- In short, the most important problem concerning desktop users, is
switching from MS-Office to OpenOffice. That is, it is not a technical,
but a social problem (with political side effects). Windows to Linux
switch is usually much easier than MS-Office to OpenOffice switch. I think
MS-Office -> OpenOffice migration will receive serious resistance from the
user base. Higher management's determined behavior, and their clear
communication of it to the personnel is crucial for success.

- Due to short and long term benefits of switching from closed to open
systems, the leading supporters of this switch is (must be) the company
high management. It can be expected that users (and sometimes also IT)
will prefer the environment they're accustomed with and know best, and
will show serious resistance and find pretexts against the change. As a
result, such a project must not be undertaken without the full agreement
and determined support of high management, and without having them
uninstall MS-Office from their own machines first. To get their complete
support, it is worthwhile to set up a proof of concept lab solely to buy
them into the idea.


Abdullah | aramazan@ |
Ramazanoglu | myrealbox |
________________| D.0.T cöm |__