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Domain: ncworldmag.com

Stories and comments across the archive that link to ncworldmag.com.

Comments · 7

  1. Windows will never be "one source base everywhere" by cpeterso · · Score: 2 · on IBM Ports Linux to S/390

    We have nothing to fear from Microsoft's threats about a single, unified Windows source base.

    Everyone knows that the current Windows family is not based on a single source code base. From Windows 3.1, 95, OSR2, 98, NT, Embedded NT ("NT for Toasters"), Embedded CE, 2000, Millenium, Neptune, ... Microsoft has its hands full maintaining app compatibility across multiple code bases. Microsoft has been preaching for years that Windows 2000 will be the convergence of Windows and NT for servers, workstations, and home computers. This is a lie! Microsoft continues to develop Windows 9x (under the codename Millenium) for home users. This product will probably be called something like "Windows 2000" (but without the "Professional" or "Server" suffix, just to confuse things more: same product name, different code base!) Microsoft has forked the Windows 2000 code slightly for Win2K Professional, Server, Advanced Server, and Datacenter. Microsoft has already forked the Windows 2000 code for Win64 because the Win32 code is not 64-bit friendly. Microsoft has forked the Windows 2000 code yet again for Neptune, the codename for "NT Consumer" product that is to ship after Millenium (Windows 9x cum "Windows 2000 Consumer").

    The Windows source code is a brittle stack of cards. For more Windows 2000 ramblings, see Nicholas Petreley's article Will Windows NT develop into a super-OS or an unmanageable disaster?.

  2. MSFT is too distracted by Win2K to test NT4 SPs. by cpeterso · · Score: 3 · on Microsoft up to Old Tricks Again

    Microsoft is so focused on rushing Windows 2000 out the door, how could they have time/people to test "every" NT application on new NT4 service packs? Remember how crappy SP4 was? SP5 was OK because it was much smaller, but I'm not surprised SP6 is crappy. The press is turning up the heat as Microsoft continues to slip the Windows 2000 ship date. If you were Microsoft what would you do, focus on NT4 SPs or Windows 2000? From a financial perspective, Microsoft will make big cash money with Windows 2000, while NT4 SP development time/people/equipment is just a cash sinkhole.

    Windows NT is a huge house of cards. Microsoft can't touch the code without a few cards falling. Here is a great article by Nicholas Petreley from the now defunct magazine "NC World": Will Windows NT develop into a super-OS or an unmanageable disaster?

    Also, to quote Microsoft's own Jim McCarthy in Dynamics of Software Development (an insightful but "fluffy" book, BTW): "Shipping a product is like watching a large-sized serving of quivering Jell-O. Gradually, the Jell-O slows its vibrations. But then you fix a bunch of bugs, and it starts quivering again. Then slowly, ever so slowly, the quivering subsides. You wait, focused and primed, for the instant the Jell-O stops shaking. Then... you ship it! And then it starts shaking again."

  3. Thin Servers - the last 10 minutes by vead · · Score: 1 · on Wintel "Thin" Servers to Compete with Linux

    Here is the most succinctly-put set of reasons I've seen yet about why Windows-NT won't work, and is not likely to start working right in the near to mid term future.

    An excellent analysis of the real costs NT will incur from IT in the coming months.

    Also, a few really good insights into the problems Microsoft faces in retooling NT5 for network portable client transparency and user context passing and preservation.

    The previous 3 articles in the series are worth reading, too.

    http://www.ncworldmag.com /ncw-06-1998/ncw-06-lastten.html

  4. If you thought those were good ... by cthonious · · Score: 3 · on CNN on Microsoft and Linux
    You should check out Nick's "The Next Ten Minutes series, which he did for NC World, back in March 98

    Really good stuff if you have the time to read it

  5. If you thought those were good ... by cthonious · · Score: 3 · on CNN on Microsoft and Linux
    You should check out Nick's "The Next Ten Minutes series, which he did for NC World, back in March 98

    Really good stuff if you have the time to read it

  6. If you thought those were good ... by cthonious · · Score: 3 · on CNN on Microsoft and Linux
    You should check out Nick's "The Next Ten Minutes series, which he did for NC World, back in March 98

    Really good stuff if you have the time to read it

  7. If you thought those were good ... by cthonious · · Score: 3 · on CNN on Microsoft and Linux
    You should check out Nick's "The Next Ten Minutes series, which he did for NC World, back in March 98

    Really good stuff if you have the time to read it