Slashdot Mirror
Using Debian in Commercial Environments?
sydb asks: "I am currently persuading my employer to try out Linux. We are heavily dependent on IBM software technologies just now, and it's a very conservative operations organization. As a challenge, I am trying to persuade them to use my preferred distro but there are hurdles: IBM doesn't officially support Debian as a platform, though I have anecdotal evidence that most of it can be persuaded to work (with alien etc). Does Slashdot have experience shoe-horning Debian into this kind of scenario? Most importantly, how have things gone getting IBM support? My rationale for pushing Debian boils down to its vast array of packages available to apt-get, easy upgrades, apt-get itself, and the overall quality and consistency of the system."
I've found that Debian Testing is more "stable" than Debian Stable. I suppose the corollary is that Debian Testing is about as stable, or more stable, than RedShat.
Disclaimer: I think they're both scum, and that Gentoo should rule the universe.
Karma: It's all a bunch of tree-huggin' hippy crap!
Pragmatically, when IBM says "customer demand", they mean "CIOs of Fortune 500s who give us feedback at the Harvard Club". Good luck getting the sales rep to even return a call from a lowly SA.
You have a responsibility to them to make sensible decisions based on economic reality and ensure that their business will continue. That is what they employ you for.
You can use Debian or Flying Monkeys, but you better be damn sure that if you are killed in a road accident that your choice is something the next guy along can understand and allow the company to continue with.
If you aren't 110% sure they will be able to pick up the pieces then you are being irresponsible and betraying the trust they have in you.