Do You Get a UNIX Workstation at Work?

Fished asks: "This may be a selfish question, but so far as I can tell it hasn't been asked before. I'm currently a Solaris System Engineer in a Very Large Company. This Very Large Company has predictably standardized on Windows as their corporate desktop. However, they are also of the opinion that nobody needs anything -but- Windows on their desktop. If you're a UNIX/Linux systems engineer/administrator in a large company, do they give you a desktop for the platform you manage? Do you have any tips on justifying your need for a second, UNIX-based desktop to the powers that be?" "While Windows may be a truth for most employees, as a System Engineer I find that my productivity is much lower when I am forced to use Windows on my desktop. I spend way too much time overcoming the ways in which Windows is just different from UNIX, and not enough time getting my job done. Loading Solaris X86 is not an option, since we are required to use a bunch of software that is Windows only (much of it sloppily written, IE only internal websites, with fun things like ActiveX controls.) VmWare works, but is certainly less than ideal."

Comments

Does Linux Count?

[bheer]

Google, HP, Oracle, Sun, IBM -- all use Linux desktops at work. But if IT is unwilling to make a special case and allow you a Linux desktop, just get PuTTY, run it full-screen, you won't even know you're on Windows. There are even some X emulators for Windows (Hummingbird?) but it's been a while since I used any and the command line is all you need anyway.

Re:Does Linux Count?

[rhythmx]

The parent is right, Hummingbird 's Exceed is definitely what you want. CygwinX is a joke IMHO for professional work, it crashes endlessly and the performance is horrible. Exceed has got good performance (even though it is Java, hehe), and a very thorough implementation of the X11 standard. It even has the GL extensions! It's expensive, but probably easier to requisition than a non-windows desktop.

For the whole package, you can kill explorer.exe in Windows, and set Exceed up to route "root mouse actions to X" and you can even fire up your favorite window manager. I used to run Fluxbox full screen over SSH from our development server all the time. So, in a way, I just made the dev server my Unix workstation.

Keep in mind that people in large companies would usually rather do things by the book than cater to the exception. Unless you are buddies with the CTO, it's not likely you're going to convince anyone to brush aside any long-standing policies.

I guess I have to ask

[Sycraft-fu]

Why would you need it? Where I work we've got a ton of Solaris boxes, and they are a lot of the core servers (LDAP, DNS, e-mail, web, among others). Our Solaris admin is quite good, and a fairly hardcore UNIX type. Not a Windows fan by any stretch of the imagination. However, his laptop that he uses to manage everything is Windows. Why? Well because that gives him Windows when he needs it and it doesn't restrict him in any way. Between Teraterm and the ssh.com client I've never seen him have any problems. After all, it's UNIX sever administration. It's all done remote, and through a text window. He could probably use a C64 and do just fine other than being slowed by having only a single window at a time.

So you need to first come up with a good reason or reasons as to why a Windows desktop doesn't work for you. Not liking it isn't a good reason, there's plenty about work I don't like, but then they are paying me so I'll do what I'm told. If you can't come up with a good technical reason, then probably you really don't need one. Pride and/or personal preference aren't a good reason when it comes to a work environment.

Also, since they are standardised on Windows desktops, you presumably have Windows support people. Get them to maintain your desktop and don't worry about it.

Re:I guess I have to ask

[paeanblack]

So you need to first come up with a good reason or reasons as to why a Windows desktop doesn't work for you.

That's a very backwards approach to getting work done.

Let your users list the tools with which they work most effectively. Then you cross tools off the list if and only if you have a very good reason or reasons to not provide those tools.

"We provide Windows because we are a Windows shop" really is the tail wagging the dog.

Re:I guess I have to ask

[GreggBz]

Not liking it isn't a good reason, there's plenty about work I don't like,

I don't like it because it makes me less productive and I feel crippled when there is a fire to put out.

Don't take my awk and perl and even gedit and vi. I work as a Unix admin for a small ISP and the Linux on the desktop is invaluable.
For auditing e-mail directories, writing scripts to parse the output of a mysql script, using scp to bounce files all over the place, working with tarballs, wget to see what
a web page is really made of in an instant... making expect scripts for the few ancient internal Cisco things, snmptools to fetch all kinds of things
and use them in scripts. I could go on and on.. Ohh... and I use dig and whois all the time!

All in all, I am much more productive when I can do all these things quickly on the command line in 6 terminals at once rather then use Putty, WinSCP, Teraterm even Cygwin. I've tried this and I like Windows right. Just not for being a sysadmin.

but then they are paying me so I'll do what I'm told.

Well, it's funny, the corporation prohibits you from installing and using FREE software in an area where you really won't be affecting any one else.
It's not like they have to support it. I guess that would irk me. But still, you do have a point, you do what you are told and roll with the changes. I guess I'm just lucky.

Re:I guess I have to ask

[sarathmenon]

I am a linux/unix admin at work, and have a linux system, which I _will_ not trade for a windows system. The IT policy in our place is simple - support will be available if you load windows. If you are on *nix, and have a problem, then STFU. It works fine because as a linux power user, I certainly can manage my system.

And yes, having windows on the desktop != having a unix. You can't manage ssh keys and custom ssh configs as easily with ssh.com and securecrt as with openssh. There is nothing like bash or perl that ships standard with windows. Ever tried setting up X forwarding on windows for that occasional unix gui application? Ever had to keep custom scripts that login to various servers for routine tasks? Ever had to script an ssh authentication script that logs into the new server just setup and copies over your ssh keys, vimrc, bashrc etc? Ever had to deal with antivirus hogging your CPU and memory? The list can be endless, but it definitely helps as an admin to have the OS of your choice.

Test Box

[Chris Snook]

You don't need a "Workstation", you need a "Test Box". A workstation is an overpriced desktop used to make trouble. A test box is an inexpensive server used to prevent trouble. Aside from the label, they are identical, but it makes all the difference to the bureaucrats.

Re:Administer yourself a new workstation

[QuantumG]

Werd. Too many people in this world ask, nah beg, for permission to do things where if they were to just do it, no-one would care.

Re:Do you need a Unix machine?

[dhasenan]

He's a Solaris developer. The software he wants is Solaris, as closely configured to his servers as possible. The servers are 64-bit SPARC machines? He needs to develop on a 64-bit SPARC machine. They're using Solaris 9.2? He wants Solaris 9.2.

Yes, he could use ssh for all that, but in most cases, it is much more convenient to work locally than remotely.

At my job, I do C# development. I could use Mono on Linux for that, and I would prefer to have a solid OS like Linux, but it's being deployed on Windows. Therefore I use Windows to develop it. It's a matter of using the appropriate tools for the task at hand.