Exactly - with a real $ price attached to this, along with support and services this will (hopefully) become a credible desktop OS candidate for corporates.
I'm not saying that roll-your-own or distro X is not suitable, but in the eyes of the corporate buyer support and services are part of the package.
I found Zieglers book 'Linux Firewalls' useful http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0735710996/ qid=1053904217/sr=2-2/ref=sr_2_2/002-0456066-36248 65 ; also this is a great site http://www.linux-firewall-tools.com/linux/
Other vendors also do this; not to limit their liability - but primarily to reduce the scope (and consequently reduce the costs and time of testing and development) and thus improve product quality.
From my own experience most software vendors actually limit their liability by way of the EULA (End User License Agreement).
Of course having to undo the shrinkwrap to read the EULA, and by having read in the EULA that by undoing the shrinkwrap you therefore agree with it.. that's another issue altogether
It's not opensource - but it lets your users - especially the mobile laptop road warriors save their data merrily to their local hard drive; iFolder then replicates the data to the central server across the net.
Add to this an effecient backup routine for the server (choose your backup software, make sure you are religious about backup.
Birmingham, UK had the worlds first commercial Maglev system linking Birmingham International Airport with the National Exhibition Centre and railway station.
I remember travelling on this just after it opened in 1984 and was amazed by the sci-fi-ness of it all.
Maglev was prone to unreliability and was recently scrapped and replaced with a traditional people mover
Now that the CXO can see that there is a 'common' desktop and underlying OS within United Linux - and with this the perceived benefits of stability, 'supportability' and security; what is left to do to make United Linux the killer desktop OS?
The real answer is to choose the most appropriate authentication mechanism depending on the application or system.
Sure - some legacy systems may only accept username/password as credentials - but most newer systems will accept digital certificates, biometric authentication, token, kerberos tickets etc etc.
One other method is to use single sign on technology integrated with strong authentication - take a look at Novell Security solutions
These combine single sign on technology with strong authentication against a cross platform directory service.
If you use thin client apps from the W2K server you will require a Microsoft Terminal Services Client Access License. A lot of words for a lot of money.
Add Citrix MetaFrame and you get another hefty license requirement
Roll your own Linux workstations is cool - just watch for the MS hidden extras..;) Also be aware of the potential extra training hit. This is a small shop - so you don't want to be running around all day going through the details of how to use KDE..
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I'm not saying that roll-your-own or distro X is not suitable, but in the eyes of the corporate buyer support and services are part of the package.
I found Zieglers book 'Linux Firewalls' useful http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0735710996/ qid=1053904217/sr=2-2/ref=sr_2_2/002-0456066-36248 65 ; also this is a great site http://www.linux-firewall-tools.com/linux/
/. becomes a meta-repository (or should that be suppository) for all other 4/1 spoofs on the web...
.. and second .. and third .. and fourth ..
My company changed 300 cell phones from one provider to another - keeping the old numbers - worked just great.
Also to do this on your personal number cost around UKP20 =US$30 or so.
Some information Here and Here
I know other European and Asia Pac countries have the same sort of agreements in place.
Ah - I've just posted Brazil is one of the best.. Brazil is now available in a 3 DVD collecters special on Criterion DVD Here's a review
Not forgotten at all .. Trainspotting is a classic with a soundtrack that still sounds good!
The film that 1984 should have been... A true masterpiece of cinema; recently re-released on a 3 DVD special - including the Gilliam cut.
Here
Fast, scalable, reliable, full featured RDBMS - just it costs a few $$ - but for that you get huge huge features.
Nick Cook used to be an editor for Janes - so is a credible source for this sort of stuff.
More details on the book - http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0767906276/ ref%3Dbr%5Fb%5Fnr%5F5/103-1437011-7987841
Ah - sprites and green screen graphics
The UK Govt already have the ability to cut off the general publics cell phone ability using the obscurely named feature of GSM ACCOLC 'Access Overload Control for cellular radio systems' - here are some links: http://www.doh.gov.uk/epcu/epcu/refdocs/accolcqa.p df, http://www.co-ordination.gov.uk/contingencies/dwd/ information.htm
Raynet were to be the backbone of radio communications during the Cold War in the event of a nuclear strike on the UK - for details.
Seems like one innovative solution is to 'leapfrog' a generation of technology and just rollout wireless technology.
http://www3.wn.apc.org/africa/resources.html for some interesting links.
From around a month or so ago.
Other vendors also do this; not to limit their liability - but primarily to reduce the scope (and consequently reduce the costs and time of testing and development) and thus improve product quality.
Of course having to undo the shrinkwrap to read the EULA, and by having read in the EULA that by undoing the shrinkwrap you therefore agree with it.. that's another issue altogether
Add to this an effecient backup routine for the server (choose your backup software, make sure you are religious about backup.
See my other post about Birmingham, UK maglev - launched in August 1984 - scrapped in 1995.
I remember travelling on this just after it opened in 1984 and was amazed by the sci-fi-ness of it all.
Maglev was prone to unreliability and was recently scrapped and replaced with a traditional people mover
Now that the CXO can see that there is a 'common' desktop and underlying OS within United Linux - and with this the perceived benefits of stability, 'supportability' and security; what is left to do to make United Linux the killer desktop OS?
Sure - some legacy systems may only accept username/password as credentials - but most newer systems will accept digital certificates, biometric authentication, token, kerberos tickets etc etc.
One other method is to use single sign on technology integrated with strong authentication - take a look at Novell Security solutions
These combine single sign on technology with strong authentication against a cross platform directory service.
Add Citrix MetaFrame and you get another hefty license requirement
Roll your own Linux workstations is cool - just watch for the MS hidden extras.. ;) Also be aware of the potential extra training hit. This is a small shop - so you don't want to be running around all day going through the details of how to use KDE..