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Windows Bumps Unix as Top Server OS
Ivan writes "
Windows narrowly bumped Unix in 2005 to claim the top spot in server sales for the first time, according to a new report from IDC.
Computer makers sold $17.7 billion worth of Windows servers worldwide in 2005 compared with $17.5 billion in Unix servers, IDC analyst Matthew Eastwood said of the firm's latest Server Tracker market share report. "It's the first time Unix was not top overall since before the Tracker started in 1996.""
So many of the bah Windows posts are just hilarious. Changing it to number of servers, adding Linux to Unix, anything to beat the evil empire. Yet I have noticed more of our customers are dropping their Unix boxes and going with windows so I have to believe these reflect reality. Personally I don't see a real difference that would be worth dropping an existing server for, but it ain't my money. When will all of you redmond haters wake up and realize what you are spewing just isn't true anymore....Windows is a good platform and it helps me because most people use it giving me one platform to code to, both personally and professionaly. GO Windows!!!
"Whether the Intel box has Windows or Linux makes no difference - we pay for both, and it is an insignificant slice of the cost."
I suppose that statement is true, however, there are many factors which should be included in the cost which generally are not when people claim Windows and Linux cost the same and the cost is insignificant. The initial cost of just the OS is insignificant, however, the OS by itself is useless.
The initial cost usually includes licenses for additional software applications and in the case of proprietary offerings such as Microsoft the costs are significant. If it is a linux system with a Red Hat Network subscription it includes service for the open source applications that come with the Red Hat distro, web server, database, mail server, etc. So with a Windows solution as you add to the proprietary software stack the costs soar, with an open source software stack the cost remains the same. So when considering the total purchase cost the Windows box will likely have a significant software licensing price tag.
And then what is often missed in the cost of a system is the costs related to damage to the business. I could care less about all the studies and reports explaining how Windows is more secure than other offerings or even the same. I have seen first hand how the security issues in Windows can take down an operation for significant lengths of time and cause lost revenue and angry customers. The risk level for relying on Windows is several magnitudes higher than the *nix offerings.