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Windows Cheaper to Patch Than Open Source?

daria42 writes "Is Windows cheaper to patch than open source software? Of course this Microsoft-commissioned report thinks so - but a number of people disagree, including a key Novell Asia-Pac exec, Paul Kangro. Kangro highlights problems with the report including the fact that it refers to problems faced by administrators before 2003: before significant improvements were made to Linux patching tools. 'We didn't have tools like Xen for Linux then,' says Kangro. 'When I patch my Linux box I don't need to bring it up and down any number of times.' Kangro also points out the report doesn't mention costs associated with rebooting systems after a patch is applied."

2 of 473 comments (clear)

  1. Re:apt vs windows update by kismet666 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    So you're complaining that you chose to install the patch that required a reboot? Why didn't you wait until after you completed whatever critical work you had to do? User makes choice. User doesn't like consequence. User blames vendor. Sigh.

  2. Re:Well. by dunc78 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    That works great until miscellaneous dependency issues start arising. I suppose this is why some people refuse to use the package based updaters. I have tried learning to use linux to get a myth-tv box running, and while it runs fairly well, there is still a lot of things I can't get working. And now I'm stuck in some kind of dependency hell so I can't get miscellaneous packages I may need to install. When I go to install a Windows fix, it just seems to work.