On Tue, 06 Nov 2007 21:59:34 +0000, Orchid XP v7 wrote:

> * Few if any really viable alternatives exist. (That's starting to
> change, slowly.)

This is the most common reason, actually - though it stems from others 
(such as "everyone else uses it", which leads to few choices in the 
market).

There was a really good article in a recent issue of Linux Format (out of 
the UK) where they talked about using Scribus instead of using whatever 
tool it is they use for the magazine (something Mac-based, IIRC).  The 
article itself was written entirely using Scribus, and there were a few 
things that had to be adapted because Scribus didn't support the 
necessary functionality, but in the end, it was a fairly viable option if 
they could live without a few things (which of course they couldn't).

I can remember a time when I was told that the big Linux vendors (RedHat, 
SuSE, maybe Canonical) used Windows-based systems for some of their 
business functions.  Seems kinda odd until you remember that they do 
actually have a business to run, and sometimes that means picking 
software that you would rather not pick.  I'm sure, for example, that 
Oracle will be using Windows systems internally, and it must drive 
Ellison nuts that he has to pay anything to Microsoft...

Jim

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