this post was submitted on 09 Apr 2024
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I work in a very large hospital. I left for 3 years and just came back. When I went to open a document at work, it opened in Libre Office. I was pretty surprised that they ditched Microsoft Office for Libre. Makes financial sense to me, especially because most of our use-cases are simply opening and reading a document or slideshow. But I was still surprised they made that switch, and I doubt half of the employees honestly even notice that much
Now, they still run Windows Desktops, and I doubt that would ever switch in my lifetime. So no linux for us. But still pleasantly surprised at the step forward
Do you really think many people would notice cinnamon?
Probably not honestly, but switching to Libre Office was probably relatively easy and saves way more than it cost to pay IT to get it running on the network.
But switching the desktop environment for the entire hospital system, I could see being costly (in labor costs). Plus, I'm not sure that the EMR (Epic) would play nice, or any of the other various critical programs they use. Definitely a much different (and probably difficult) task to pull off smoothly, compared to switching Office for Libre
I see a PDF about somebody doing this with the back end in 2002, and it looms like an Intel ad. Its probably viable?
I think it really could be, if administration could understand the limitations of the IT side. And/or the corporate/entity cared to spend the money to make it happen (Like re-hiring the IT department so that everyone was on the same page).
I wish it could, but even I wouldn't think that it would be financially efficient to try and "fix" what already works. And Epic is just one of the critical programs.... there's a lot of in-between.
If it were my hospital to run; I'd wanna test-run linux desktop in some capacity, because I bet it could be made to work better/cheaper. But it's one of the most extensive hospitals in the state, with a LOT of everyone around using their services in some capacity. I can't imagine them shelling out the extra capital to "decide" if there would be "long-term gains". It's not financially smart "short-term", even if financially better "long-term.
But switching to Libre Office? I was surprised. Maybe one day we'll get there
Okay but they... It... At least the back end works on Linux? Or did twenty two years ago, since before some of your younger staff were probably born, according to the first result of my single web search? I think the front end does too? You know computers with different operating systems can talk to each other, right? Yeah you should be sure, and that's why you set up a test computer in a back room somewhere to be absolutely personally sure.
I understand that its not your decision, I, um, can't refute that part (I'd like to argue it though? For fun?)
Maybe the entire regime of 'ownership' especially of such an important public utility so many people rely on, like a fucking hospital cannot, in real terms, be privately owned? It is the property of the people, of the community it is in, and as such, and as that it is the year of the Linux desktop, you should be conducting a covert assassination campaign against windows partisans on the IT staff and gradually reclaiming that department for the people while making absolutely no other changes to things like billing or scheduling or policy regarding unhoused patients.
Then, when the unbelievers are purged, quietly install Linux with cinnamon on people's computers, until it has finished, and you are victorious. Reap the software licensing fees you would have paid to Microsoft and 5% efficiency gains in one hospital to jump start the revolution from there. Use it to build a concentration camp for landlords, then...
Lol, I love the gumption
I unfortunately don't work IT in any capacity (it's a hobby of mine), and have never even seen an IT personnel from work, in person. But I also work nights as a nurse (direct patient care), so it's not really in my "scope of practice" to have much of a say. But one can still dream
Its absolutely in the scope of your practice!
Nurses make great serial killers, I can only assume they would make equally good political assassins!
So first you call for tech support, just any bullshit issue, but word it ambiguously so they have to talk to you to figure out what you meant. drop a comment to provoke a response, measure their opinion. Designate them target, nonentity, or potential comrade to recruit to the cause. Keep going until you find either a target you can turn to an asset until its time to dispose of them, or a comrade who might genuinely assist. IT get you the information from personnel records and department meetings. Boom. Linux on the whole system within a year, and you're skimming license fees to build that concentration camp for landlords.
Again, still love the gumption! Though I feel like there's probably a few steps you're brushing over. But even if I could (theoretically) pull all of that off, idk how skimming licensing fees would ever be practical to me, especially without losing my job for a "conflict of interest".
I'm a simple man that works slow to create change. I'd start a campaign if anything. Research and talk about viability. But if I'm putting energy into campaigning for anything; I'm campaigning for a union wayyy before I campaign for company-wide linux adoption. Help myself and coworkers first, before pursuing a personal tech-suggestion
Edit: maybe a psychotic serial-killer nurse would be better suited for that operation. That's not really me though, I kinda really love what I do; all things considered
Nope, the plan is perfect and only a counter-revolutionary would suggest otherwise. straight to the gulag.
Know any?
Well you wouldn't be stealing it for yourself, and its not like there isn't already a massive conflict of interest between execs who like money and staff who like treating patients.
You're funny though, ngl. Go ahead and do something yourself, of the same nature. Report back with your "accomplishments", we're all ears. Best of luck friend
No; your appropriation of the ~~revolution~~ weird-linux-install-murder-plot has convinced me that you are a cop and I must now flee underground.
I've been had! Welp, the cat's already outta the bag now, so might as well tell ya the truth; I'm actually a serial-killer-cop... aka, a cop. You can run, but you'll never be able to hide!
Edit: huffing, puffing, wheezing ...ok, maybe you can actually just run a bit, no hiding necessary. I'm going on another break; I need to catch my breath
Epic is developing Hyperspace for Mac, as well as “standalone” (access Hyperspace in a web browser). Plus many hospitals use Citrix virtualization, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Linux is theoretically possible (though unlikely due to jankiness).
https://www.kasmweb.com/
It's a container streaming platform. So it can replace RDP, remoteapps, Citrix and potentially Hyperspace (if it runs in Wine). Plus it's open source or can be paid for if you need support and hosting.
You get a free Ubuntu container to mess around for a few minutes, it's rather snappy for a VNC backend.
We use Citrix, and that's where my knowledge really lacks (networking, in general). I feel like it could absolutely be done, but the "jankiness" of every program trying to operate smoothly, seems like a large hurdle (at least to my unknowledgable self). I just can't see a large hospital like mine, even trying to test-run something that may cause them more headaches than they already are used to. They have enough issues navigating/operating their current systems, as is lol. You can (almost literally) see the devide between admin expectations vs. practicality.
They're barely interested in spending money on "staff retention", let alone any software/networking "maybe's". They seem to lack the foresight for "long-term" gains, vs the "short-term". Color me surprised
I could see them asking for unreasonable function, because they don't understand. And then blaming IT for any hiccup.
And I don't feel like a web-based Hyperspace would be entirely viable, as we already have protocols for if/when the internet or network goes down. There are computers throughout the hospital that are specifically utilized for any "network downtime". Maybe they could use satellite or something as a "backup network-generator", but I'm too unknowledgable to understand how that would work or if it would even be viable. I honestly don't fully understand how the "downtime computers" operate, so that doctors' orders can still be made... maybe they already use satellite for those? I have no idea
But definitely doesn't seem like a "tomatoes/tomatas" situation to me, when comparing going full linux vs switching to Libre. I was just happy to see any kind of sensibility from them on the subject
Uplifting to read this!