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Novell Doubts Microsoft Latest "Linux Facts"
Robert writes "Microsoft Corp's "Get the Facts" campaign comparing Windows with Linux
continues to prove controversial, with Novell Inc describing the latest set of facts
offered up by Microsoft as "misdirection." The latest report offered up by
Microsoft as evidence that Windows is a better bet than Linux is a white paper from
Security Innovation Inc that compares maintenance, patch application, and system failures
related to a migration from Windows Server 2000 to 2003, and Novell's SUSE Linux
Enterprise Server 8 to SLES 9. The report found that there were more system failures
experienced by Linux systems administrators, and that more patches needed to be applied to
the
Linux systems, while more time was required to complete the Linux migration."
So windows comes with no applications that need patching, and look of all the security patches required for JUST the OS! Linux on the other hand comes with hundreds of applications not related to the OS. You get a complete server in a box with all the tools needed, mysql, php, etc. THESE ARE WHAT NEED PATCHES IN MOST CASES! Microsoft provides you nothing with windows.
We all know Microsoft ain't gonna say anything bad about their product, so why even bother?
I'm sure Windows has it's uses, but you simply can't compare a system like Windows to a system like SLES they way that they do. They're vastly different systems, built with different things in mind.
Apples and pears, my friends. Apples and pears...
Blog -
Microsoft just doesn't understand that one's Linux distro doesn't need to be on the cutting edge to be functional. Case and point:
Windows 98 (latest patches) running Apache = Big security risk.
Red Hat 5 (latest patches) running Apache = Solid
"The study compared the experiences of three expert administrators on each side, a number that Security Innovation itself admitted was "too small to provide conclusive statistical comparisons."
Conclusive statistical comparisons?!?!? How about any statistical comparisons? Why, I could find 3 "expert" linux administrators who'd say just about anything I wanted them to say. Anecdotes do not evidence make, but they do strike that folksy note so beloved of advertisers.
-Brendan
I am sick and tired of your shady and misinformed "studies". Instead of trying to convince people that you have a better operating system, why don't you get off your lazy ass and MAKE A BETTER OPERATING SYSTEM!? I swear to god, my image of this company has been reduced to a 5 year old girl kicking and screaming because another girl in her class has a bigger lollipop. [/rant]
Hero of Allacrost, a FOSS RPG for *NIX/*BSD/OS X/Win
Yes, that's right, if you want unbiased reporting on the facts and a strict comparison done under rigorous conditions, then the only place to turn is Consumer Reports. Unfortunately a peek at their site shows nothing about comparing Linux to Windows. Anyone for a letter-writing campaign?
GetOuttaMySpace - The Anti-Social Network
OF COURSE Linux demands more updates, there's simply more software to patch!
And that's not a good thing. It means you spend more time patching Linux boxes than Windows boxes. I admin Linux (CentOS) machines at work and I keep an eye on the Windows ones. I spend more time reviewing and patching my machines than I believe the Windows admins have to. The shear bloat of modern Linux distros makes them a big hassle with fairly regular updates.
I would suggest rethinking your update strategy. I support 21 Linux servers where I work, all my updates are automagic.
I have a couple of test servers that receive updates first (via scheduled cron job, totally hands off). If everything goes ok, the production servers follow suit (again totally hands off). If something doesn't seem quite right on the test servers, I disable the automagic update job on the production boxes with one command. All jobs are logged, and I recieve emails on status. After a year have never had a problem, never had to disable any scheduled jobs.
As far as "bloat", again rethink your deployment strategy. I use Kickstart for all new deployments, while in my opinion not as flexiable as jumpstart, but it's a great tool. I have configurations for specific server types (Oracle, Tomcat Server, etc.). When I do a new deployment, I just pop in a CD, type linux ks=http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx./kickstart/.cfg and walk away. No bloat, just installs what is necessary for the specific servertype, it's pretty easy.
peaCe
doomicon
Awesome!