Re: [9fans] A newbie question...

[John Stalker <stalker@maths.tcd.ie>]

> I'm a new to Plan9, and I am trying to understand the current status of the
> system.
> In particular, I am wondering about the list of application available
> - is there  email reader?
> - Web browser?
> - office like suite = document editor, spreadsheet?
> - is it possible to run Linux software under plan9?
>
> In other words, I am wondering if it is possible to switch to Plan 9 system,
> and to use it as 'everyday machine'?

Most of what's worth saying has already bee said, but I would note three things:
1) Various people metioned troff.  TeX is also supported, and is better at
   some things, though worse at others.  Personally I use TeX.
2) For things other people do with spreadsheets I use awk.  If you keep the data
   as csv, i.e. text fields separated by commas, then awk can manipulate them easily
   and you still have the option of importing into Excel if you ever need to.  I do
   everything this way: students grades, financial accounts, etc.  The editor sam
   has a simple facility for piping a file through a command, in this case awk, so
   you can update everything with a few mouse clicks.
3) Consider running plan9ports rather than a full plan9 installation.  I've done
   both.  Which is better depends on what you are doing.
--
John Stalker
School of Mathematics
Trinity College Dublin
tel +353 1 896 1983
fax +353 1 896 2282