For many small companies, computers and network are a rather complex and costly infrastructure. Linux seems a really great way to cut those costs. But is it possible to entirely switch to a Windows-free environment? Are there hidden costs? What problems will you face?

Since 2003, Lionel Dricot has helped users from many different business (small companies, government agencies, families) to switch fully or partially to an open source solution: OpenOffice, Firefox, Debian, Ubuntu ... In this context, he met expectations that were very different that those from the geeks microcosm.

Those experiences will be summarized in the story of the IT infrastructure of Tamarico, a small company founded by Dricot's mother. Tamarico has now been working in a full Ubuntu/Debian environment for three years (Debian then Ubuntu) without any Windows. There were some drawbacks but, surprisingly, a lot of unexpected benefits (including seeing his 50-year-old mother mastering Gimp to put pictures by herself on the company web site. Wow! Mom?). And, of course, it also lead to a lot of funny situations in this corporate world where most people cannot imagine a computer without Windows.

Speaker's note: Tamarico is a very small Belgian company whose goal is helping integration of people with disabilities by selling adapted goods and services. This includes a special wheelchair that can go in the water or in the snow, special books, warming clothes, etc. http://www.tamarico.com