>Maybe your first hand experience wasn't in a reasonably controlled environment.Maybe your bias will only allow you to see things one way.Why don't you point out the flaws in the study?
The flaws in the study? How can I? I have not heard from the supposed 'experienced Linux Admins'. I don't know what proprietary products were deployed. I have no idea why Suse 8.0 was selected (not my first or second choice, by the way).
The study was funded and conducted for the sole purpose of finding a favorable result for Microsoft and that is exactly what it did. How can I possibley find fault with it when it did exactly what it was supposed to do.
It is my personal experience that Linux is a superior OS for online network services - it is also the experience of my customers.
Who am I to believe? Your conclusions or my lying eyes?
Dr. Herb Thompson talks a good story but it isn't supported by my first hand experiences - Why is that?
Sorry Herb but your study is nothing more than a carefully crafted FUD attack on a superior product.
Microsoft has been pulling this crap for 10 years and they obviously aren't finished yet, despite the fact they bought themselves an erudite talking head!
"These riots are not lead or motivated or incited by radical Islam in anyway"
In a way you are correct. The riots are NOT the actions of radical Islam, but rather a consequence of Islamic beliefs.
Islam is also the the religion of poverty. They are raised and taught that they are entitled but rarely reach more than substinance employment.
It is totally the result of political correctness that these events are not covered as completely as they should.
I repeat - the riots in France and the copycat activities in the rest of Europe are the actions of normal Muslim youth.
Have you ever heard of ethnic Chinese burning cars in North America?
No!
Do you know why?
Because even when they arrive barely speaking english they learn a trade (if required), go to work, participate in the community, buy property, send their children to school and University! Excellent citizens!
Well, speaking as somebody that has actually BEEN THERE, I can tell you it is totally a Muslim event!
There are dozens of different nationalities involved but the common denominator is they are Muslims.
My comment may be considered flamebait here but it is the reality of Muslim immigrants all across Europe. The do not wish to blend in and they are intolerant of other religions, not just the Jews.
Perhaps you should familiarize yourself with current evets before your next comment.
The problem in a nutshell is Islam is not just a religion, it is also a political force that denies the legitimacy of other belief systems and other political orientations.
Democracy is not an option!
The Muslims that are rioting hope to gain politically from their actions in order to receive more entitlements in the already welfare rich environment (subsidized housing, free health, free education, even food relief).
I am willing to bet they want sharia law for their community and then they will continue to push the boundaries of their communities out.
One last thought, 50 years ago Turkey was 50% Muslim, today it is over 95% Muslim.
I have installed numerous scanners and have always enjoyed success with Epson scanners.
The work great with OCR software, produce wire fine scans of diagrams and images and render color photographs well - even the $100 scanners provide excellent quality scans.
I have found the tiny tinny low profile Canon scanners to be delicate and occasionally tempermental.
Epson for price, quality of scan and quality of hardware. Works great with Linux and Windows (probably Mac as well).
Recent Hitachi return policy prevents me from even considering this line of HDs.
I attempted to return a failed IBM Deskstar last year only to be told I would have to return it to the US, not the Canadian centre I had used in the past.
I explained repeatedly that I had always returned HDs of all makes to Canadian centres and that it was prohibitively expensive to ship a DEAD HD to the US.
Hitachi didn't care. I have never bought a Hitachi drive since and never will.
I have been using Seagate HDs because of their 5 year warranty and have not had a single failure to date. Seagate = cool, quiet and reliable.
The statement aledged to have been made by Linus is part of a report where a very tasteless analogy was used of Linus sticking up for Microsoft proprietary document file formats.
The original article wass trying to make a point, rather poorly in my opinion.
Sorry OSRM, I do not buy your reversed role of being the savior of the open source movement.
OSRM has made a number of damaging unsubstaniated claims concerning *possible* Linux IP violations - you have hurt the open source movement for personal profit.
My Mechano set was one of my favorite toys for a number of years. As my ability increased, additions were made, including geared electric motors and gearsets.
When I entered my teens, the Mechano set was almost thrown out as my interests moved to grils and motorcycles. My parents put it away and I completely forgot about i until my son was six when it re-appeared as his birthday present.
As with many things, my thrill at seeing that amazing engineering toy when I was 8 was not duplicated by my son who preferred his new C64.
I fondly remember chemestry sets, many different construction toys and electric trains.
Bob Heinlein wrote a whole series of "juveniles" that still stand the test of time.
His most famous book must be "Stranger in a Strange Land". One of his books recently made it to the silver screen, "Starship Troopers", with significant modification but still very well done.
You will find many themes in traditional and contemorary SF originate in the works Heinlein.
I'm sorry but that is the most annoying post I have read in recent history.
The terrible spelling completely ruined the impact of the story. My attention was drawn away from the details of the story by trying to decipher the posted words.
Yet another aging technocrat, ill-equipped or too lazy to adapt to change, is taking a wild shot at Linux. And how do you make this withering declaration? Why, by clever McCarthy era slurs and school yard name-calling. It appears you have lost your edge.
It is sad that a person who was at one time technologically adept and an artful innovator has descended into name-calling and fear-mongering.
You Bob, are a cheap hack. You obviously can't write a column based on an accurate analysis of the art & technology of operating systems so you descend to the most blatant of tabloid scripting.
Perhaps it is some mental disease and we should call a doctor. Maybe it is the need for attention and the symptom of a flagging ego. Very likely it is some mental misadventure caused by an excess of alchohol or other mood-altering drug. Whatever the cause, it is a tragedy of Greek proportion.
Well, you have very likely succeeded in attracting the attention of the Linux community and will reap a whirlwind of denouncers and the attendant proportion of nut-cases. You can now proudly show the e-mail deluge to your bosses and syncopants and claim that you haven't lost your touch.
What makes your attempt so transparent is you don't site a single fact in support of your views. You are comparing an un-released beta OS (W2K) to a Unix like OS, of which you have no knowledge or experience.
As for your predictions of the past - I have one for you. I see a bright future for you in Real Estate sales or perhaps a Juicer info-mercial - nothing too technical because the lights are on but all the important people are not home.
It is unfortunate that you have chosen to write on a subject of which you are so obviously ignorant.
"Companies that add features they need, but that are not accepted into the core distribution, may find themselves in a redevelopment and retesting cycle every time a new version of Linux is released."
What are you talking about? The ability to create custom functionality is a feature of Linux that is completely absent in the MS community.
Further, almost all development can be supported with modules which will be upwards compatible with newer kernel releases. You are apparently complaining about one of the most powerful aspects of the open source Linux community.
"Windows supporters still outnumber Linux supporters because Microsoft provides a better value proposition."
Recent poles appear to indicate that Linux installations outnumber MS products providing service on the Internet. MS may own the desktop but Linux owns the Internet service closet.
I have replaced a number of NT4 installations (some I installed myself) with Linux systems because NT4 was finicky, difficult to service and hardware hungry. Many Linux server installations can function reliably for months on end on common hardware which crawls unreliably under NT4.
e.g. I have a Linux server that provides; web, sendmail, ftp, DNS, file, PPP dial-in, telnet, router, masquerade, time, firewall, logging, print and tape backup... all on an aging AMD586-133MHz with 32 megabytes memory and 16+ gigabytes storage. This setup is more than able to keep up with a fully loaded 10BaseT connection to the Internet AND provides significant file service to a 10 W9* box LAN. It is true that this company is not Forbes 500 but their needs are more than served by this modest hardware/software solution. I can do almost all software upgrades over the Internet so on most occasions I do not have to visit this client in person. This is not the case with W9* which either requires a patient and observant person sitting in front of the offending box talking to me on the phone OR an expensive trip by me to the office.
I could easily justify purchasing more expensive hardware for the above installation but it is has not proved necessary to date - maybe next year (perhaps not).
This particular client has expressed a desire to try Linux on some of his desktop machines (staff) rather than buy W98 upgrades. The cost of administering W9* on the desktop is basis of this interest - not the sticker price of the W98 upgrades.
"Windows NT Server Enterprise Edition ships with a full complement of Internet services, including Web, proxy, index, messaging, database, transaction and firewall services."
Every Linux distribution that I am aware of is shipped with everything you describe and more! I have installed, used and had numerous tedhnical transactions with MS; Their help service is friendly but inefficient time wise. You must purchase a separate service contract to jump the telephone que and then the service is immediate but is often slow to develop effective solutions! I have had excellent success with the Linux system of HowTo's, FAQs and newsgroup feedback. Because the Linux source code is available for examination, there is no "Black-Box" mentality of depending upon a single source for solutions and undisclosed/unsupported functions (I can't tell you how many times a solution to an NT4 problem was an undocumented or obscure directive).
"Without robust SMP, Linux servers can support only small companies and single applications."
You are confused! It is appallingly clear to me you have never set up or run a Linux server. It is my personal experience that a single processor Linux box is more than able to provide reliable multiple functionality for almost all small to medium corporate requirements! Unless you are running "Hotmail" or "eBay", the kind of services and throughput is better served with redundant $5000 Linux boxes versus a single $100,000 quad SMP NT4 box!
It should also be noted the SMP support in NT4 can hardly be called a mature product OR robust. Linux has a far superior service record as a robust and reliable OS in comparison to NT4. Do you have any direct experience with Linux of any description?
As an early employer of NT4, I can attest to the fact that the last four years have been a ongoing BETA test for the problem ridden OS. Linux may have been much less fashionable and attractive than NT4 but it has always been a functional and versatile workhorse. It was out of a feeling of object frustration with NT4 that I began introducing my clients to Linux.
Despite the steep learning curve, I was able to provide workable solutions to my customer's needs rather than developing first name relationships with MS online support personnel. Linux worked and continued to work while I was still rebooting NT4 for yet another attempt to track down some mystery malfunction.
"If you're managing multiple servers for increased scalability, you're better off using multiple NT servers all participating within the same domain."
Yet another silly statement devoid fact. Multiple Linux boxes serving a common domain is much more logical from a hardware-cost/support-cost viewpoint. The fact that Linux is free has little appeal to most corporate types and can actually create distrust in the executive suites. However the cost of hardware, service, upgrade and administration of NT4 is significant and ongoing.
"Also, remember that Linux is still Unix. One of the reasons for Windows' growth has been the complexity of configuring and maintaining Unix operating systems."
Another silly statement. Windows NT's growth is a product of the popularity of the W3* and W9* desktop systems, not a function of it's administration and maintenance record (dismall, by most accounts). The fact is many middle management types believe that because they perceive W95/8 to be a simple, pretty and interesting graphical OS to work with on the desktop, that NT4 will be the will be the same in the server closet. They are accustomed to rebooting their desktop GUI several times a week and see no problem with a network server that requires the same kind of support. Windows NT is like the Cadillac of the late 50's early 60's: Popular, ornate, expensive and loaded with "powered features", but frail, high maintenance and not yet fit for the practical long haul!
"If you're responsible for operating system selection in your company, be wary of the Linux play."
It is unfortunate that you know so little about what you are talking about. I am willing to bet you have never administered a Linux or Unix server before making such bizarre fear-generating statements.
I believe the powerful insurgence of Linux into the server closets of the corporate world is just the beginning. As Sys-Admins learn the value of Linux on the desktop for most applications (e-mail, text processing, number crunching, data entry, etc) as a time & cost effective alternative to W9*, Microsoft and Bill Gates are going to have to rely on the fear and confusion created by ignorant people like yourself.
"Linux is a college student's project gone astray."
Linux is the very essence of cooperation of the best minds in the world guided by a soft-spoken genius whose contribution to the intellectual property of Earth is every bit as significant as that of Bill Gates (some would argue more, but...)
Your attempt to marginalize Linux and Linus Torvalds is yet another example of your own fear and ignorance. You are just another uninformed hack, fearful of change, perhaps too lazy to learn anything new and obviously incompetent to render an informed, balanced and unbiased opinion.
I must admit that I love my W98 desktop with it's Internet Explorer 5.0, Outlook Express and high speed games (chromed tailfins & powered seats - how does the saying go? Four buttons where none are needed?). But I rely on Linux for a robust stable server/development platform - in other words, the Real Work. I own NT4 Server and Workstation but they are not currently installed on anything.
The Linux GUI has evolved so dramatically of late that if I had two or two hundred employees, all on a LAN/WAN, I would put Linux on their desktop AND in the server closet. An employee would have to have a specific application that is simply not available in Linux before I would permit W98 on a desktop. Can you say VMware?
I have no problem with Mr. Gates or Microsoft but I believe they will have to address the reliability and functionality of their network products before they can expect people to continue paying big dollars to buy and support NT* in the server closet and W* on the desktop. As for NT on the desktop, why bother?
It is still annoying to boot up W98 and find all my mail missing, or the icons are now unrecognizable, or the windows settings refuse to be memorized, or it locks up tight during an Internet game, or refuses to kill an app despite repeated attempts, or... well, you get the idea.
In closing, I hope Mr. JP Morgenthal is more competent in other areas of expertise than he has demonstrated here. Perhaps something in real estate.
Just one guy's opinion.
Best regards,
Brian
PS: I experienced a W98 system freeze during the compositon of this e-message. It is fortunate that out of long habit and experience with MS OS products that I had frequently updated a backup of this document. I only lost about 15 minutes work and it was quickly duplicated.
Slashdot Mirror
>Maybe your first hand experience wasn't in a reasonably controlled environment.Maybe your bias will only allow you to see things one way.Why don't you point out the flaws in the study?
The flaws in the study? How can I? I have not heard from the supposed 'experienced Linux Admins'. I don't know what proprietary products were deployed. I have no idea why Suse 8.0 was selected (not my first or second choice, by the way).
The study was funded and conducted for the sole purpose of finding a favorable result for Microsoft and that is exactly what it did. How can I possibley find fault with it when it did exactly what it was supposed to do.
I am getting tired of this game, aren't you?
Dude
It is my personal experience that Linux is a superior OS for online network services - it is also the experience of my customers.
Who am I to believe? Your conclusions or my lying eyes?
Dr. Herb Thompson talks a good story but it isn't supported by my first hand experiences - Why is that?
Sorry Herb but your study is nothing more than a carefully crafted FUD attack on a superior product.
Microsoft has been pulling this crap for 10 years and they obviously aren't finished yet, despite the fact they bought themselves an erudite talking head!
No sale Herb.
Dude
"Do you really believe fifty years ago that half of Turkey's inhabitants were atheists?"
I never said that - I said 50% were Muslim and now 95% are Muslim.
Perhaps you should ask some of those Christian school girls in Indonesian what happened?
Three Indonesian girls beheaded
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4387604.stm
ANYWHERE Muslims and peoples of other faiths interface there is friction which eventually turns to violence.
The truth is Islam is the religion of Fascism!
Dude
"These riots are not lead or motivated or incited by radical Islam in anyway"
In a way you are correct. The riots are NOT the actions of radical Islam, but rather a consequence of Islamic beliefs.
Islam is also the the religion of poverty. They are raised and taught that they are entitled but rarely reach more than substinance employment.
It is totally the result of political correctness that these events are not covered as completely as they should.
I repeat - the riots in France and the copycat activities in the rest of Europe are the actions of normal Muslim youth.
Have you ever heard of ethnic Chinese burning cars in North America?
No!
Do you know why?
Because even when they arrive barely speaking english they learn a trade (if required), go to work, participate in the community, buy property, send their children to school and University! Excellent citizens!
Islam is the problem.
Dude
Well, speaking as somebody that has actually BEEN THERE, I can tell you it is totally a Muslim event!
There are dozens of different nationalities involved but the common denominator is they are Muslims.
My comment may be considered flamebait here but it is the reality of Muslim immigrants all across Europe. The do not wish to blend in and they are intolerant of other religions, not just the Jews.
Perhaps you should familiarize yourself with current evets before your next comment.
Dude
The problem in a nutshell is Islam is not just a religion, it is also a political force that denies the legitimacy of other belief systems and other political orientations.
Democracy is not an option!
The Muslims that are rioting hope to gain politically from their actions in order to receive more entitlements in the already welfare rich environment (subsidized housing, free health, free education, even food relief).
I am willing to bet they want sharia law for their community and then they will continue to push the boundaries of their communities out.
One last thought, 50 years ago Turkey was 50% Muslim, today it is over 95% Muslim.
Dude
Really well worth the read!
Well done Mad Penquin and REALLY Well Done OASIS and the people and organizations that have made XML ODF possible.
Dude
I have installed numerous scanners and have always enjoyed success with Epson scanners.
The work great with OCR software, produce wire fine scans of diagrams and images and render color photographs well - even the $100 scanners provide excellent quality scans.
I have found the tiny tinny low profile Canon scanners to be delicate and occasionally tempermental.
Epson for price, quality of scan and quality of hardware. Works great with Linux and Windows (probably Mac as well).
Brian
Recent Hitachi return policy prevents me from even considering this line of HDs.
I attempted to return a failed IBM Deskstar last year only to be told I would have to return it to the US, not the Canadian centre I had used in the past.
I explained repeatedly that I had always returned HDs of all makes to Canadian centres and that it was prohibitively expensive to ship a DEAD HD to the US.
Hitachi didn't care. I have never bought a Hitachi drive since and never will.
I have been using Seagate HDs because of their 5 year warranty and have not had a single failure to date. Seagate = cool, quiet and reliable.
Goodbye IBM/Hitachi, Hello Seagate.
Brian
It is a principle of law that a plaintiff (RIAA/MPAA) should have clean hands when prosecuting file sharers.
The RIAA has a long and sordid history of stealing IP monetary rewards from the artists that write and perform the music.
It is sad nobody can afford to take the RIAA and their crooked members to task.
Dude
People seem to forget.
Dude
The statement aledged to have been made by Linus is part of a report where a very tasteless analogy was used of Linus sticking up for Microsoft proprietary document file formats.
The original article wass trying to make a point, rather poorly in my opinion.
Dude
I have used JumpDomain for almost 5 years and have been VERY HAPPY with their service.
I have a hard time understanding what is going on.
My last service (domain renewal for two domains) went through without a hitch January of this year.
I believe it is a one man operation - perhaps Scott is unable to reply at this time for reasons beyond his control.
I will email and ask what is going on.
Dude
I think SCO must be too buy looking over their mountain of discovery proceeds to add a simple attribution to their legal docs website.
Too busy, too cheap, too lazy... who knows what their excuse.
Perhaps it is simply that SCO does not want to give credit where credit is due.
Subdude
Can I get my Gameboy to emulate a cell-phone?
Welcome back Pat!
I trully appreciate your work!
Slackware user since '95 - my first and last distribution.
Take care of yourself and thanks for getting back to work.
Dude
Just so you know, the Linux/Slackware community are sending their collective best most positive thoughts your way.
I have refrained from emailing a 'Get Well' message in case your mbox is getting overwhelmed.
Please get better my friend, we really need you.
Brian
Sorry OSRM, I do not buy your reversed role of being the savior of the open source movement.
OSRM has made a number of damaging unsubstaniated claims concerning *possible* Linux IP violations - you have hurt the open source movement for personal profit.
With friends like OSRM, Who needs enemas?
SD
I have been tracking your story since it broke.
I have no words of wisdom for you other than you are in my thoughts.
I wish you a speedy recovery! I know you are going to beat this!
I look forward to hearing of your changed viewpoints after you have healed.
Best wishes Patrick,
Brian
Slackware user since 1995
My Mechano set was one of my favorite toys for a number of years. As my ability increased, additions were made, including geared electric motors and gearsets.
When I entered my teens, the Mechano set was almost thrown out as my interests moved to grils and motorcycles. My parents put it away and I completely forgot about i until my son was six when it re-appeared as his birthday present.
As with many things, my thrill at seeing that amazing engineering toy when I was 8 was not duplicated by my son who preferred his new C64.
I fondly remember chemestry sets, many different construction toys and electric trains.
Bob Heinlein wrote a whole series of "juveniles" that still stand the test of time.
His most famous book must be "Stranger in a Strange Land". One of his books recently made it to the silver screen, "Starship Troopers", with significant modification but still very well done.
You will find many themes in traditional and contemorary SF originate in the works Heinlein.
Check your local used book store or library.
Just one guy's opinion.
Brian
I'm sorry but that is the most annoying post I have read in recent history.
The terrible spelling completely ruined the impact of the story. My attention was drawn away from the details of the story by trying to decipher the posted words.
Just one guys opinion.
Hi Bob:
Yet another aging technocrat, ill-equipped or too lazy to adapt to change, is taking a wild shot at Linux. And how do you make this withering declaration? Why, by clever McCarthy era slurs and school yard name-calling. It appears you have lost your edge.
It is sad that a person who was at one time technologically adept and an artful innovator has descended into name-calling and fear-mongering.
You Bob, are a cheap hack. You obviously can't write a column based on an accurate analysis of the art & technology of operating systems so you descend to the most blatant of tabloid scripting.
Perhaps it is some mental disease and we should call a doctor. Maybe it is the need for attention and the symptom of a flagging ego. Very likely it is some mental misadventure caused by an excess of alchohol or other mood-altering drug. Whatever the cause, it is a tragedy of Greek proportion.
Well, you have very likely succeeded in attracting the attention of the Linux community and will reap a whirlwind of denouncers and the attendant proportion of nut-cases. You can now proudly show the e-mail deluge to your bosses and syncopants and claim that you haven't lost your touch.
What makes your attempt so transparent is you don't site a single fact in support of your views. You are comparing an un-released beta OS (W2K) to a Unix like OS, of which you have no knowledge or experience.
As for your predictions of the past - I have one for you. I see a bright future for you in Real Estate sales or perhaps a Juicer info-mercial - nothing too technical because the lights are on but all the important people are not home.
Best regards,
Brian
Thank you for your most astute interpretation of this baffling analysis.
Best regards,
Brian
Dear Mr. JP Morgenthal:
It is unfortunate that you have chosen to write on a subject of which you are so obviously ignorant.
"Companies that add features they need, but that are not accepted into the core distribution, may find themselves in a redevelopment and retesting cycle every time a new version of Linux is released."
What are you talking about? The ability to create custom functionality is a feature of Linux that is completely absent in the MS community.
Further, almost all development can be supported with modules which will be upwards compatible with newer kernel releases. You are apparently complaining about one of the most powerful aspects of the open source Linux community.
"Windows supporters still outnumber Linux supporters because Microsoft provides a better value proposition."
Recent poles appear to indicate that Linux installations outnumber MS products providing service on the Internet. MS may own the desktop but Linux owns the Internet service closet.
I have replaced a number of NT4 installations (some I installed myself) with Linux systems because NT4 was finicky, difficult to service and hardware hungry. Many Linux server installations can function reliably for months on end on common hardware which crawls unreliably under NT4.
e.g. I have a Linux server that provides; web, sendmail, ftp, DNS, file, PPP dial-in, telnet, router, masquerade, time, firewall, logging, print and tape backup... all on an aging AMD586-133MHz with 32 megabytes memory and 16+ gigabytes storage. This setup is more than able to keep up with a fully loaded 10BaseT connection to the Internet AND provides significant file service to a 10 W9* box LAN. It is true that this company is not Forbes 500 but their needs are more than served by this modest hardware/software solution. I can do almost all software upgrades over the Internet so on most occasions I do not have to visit this client in person. This is not the case with W9* which either requires a patient and observant person sitting in front of the offending box talking to me on the phone OR an expensive trip by me to the office.
I could easily justify purchasing more expensive hardware for the above installation but it is has not proved necessary to date - maybe next year (perhaps not).
This particular client has expressed a desire to try Linux on some of his desktop machines (staff) rather than buy W98 upgrades. The cost of administering W9* on the desktop is basis of this interest - not the sticker price of the W98 upgrades.
"Windows NT Server Enterprise Edition ships with a full complement of Internet services, including Web, proxy, index, messaging, database, transaction and firewall services."
Every Linux distribution that I am aware of is shipped with everything you describe and more! I have installed, used and had numerous tedhnical transactions with MS; Their help service is friendly but inefficient time wise. You must purchase a separate service contract to jump the telephone que and then the service is immediate but is often slow to develop effective solutions! I have had excellent success with the Linux system of HowTo's, FAQs and newsgroup feedback. Because the Linux source code is available for examination, there is no "Black-Box" mentality of depending upon a single source for solutions and undisclosed/unsupported functions (I can't tell you how many times a solution to an NT4 problem was an undocumented or obscure directive).
"Without robust SMP, Linux servers can support only small companies and single applications."
You are confused! It is appallingly clear to me you have never set up or run a Linux server. It is my personal experience that a single processor Linux box is more than able to provide reliable multiple functionality for almost all small to medium corporate requirements! Unless you are running "Hotmail" or "eBay", the kind of services and throughput is better served with redundant $5000 Linux boxes versus a single $100,000 quad SMP NT4 box!
It should also be noted the SMP support in NT4 can hardly be called a mature product OR robust. Linux has a far superior service record as a robust and reliable OS in comparison to NT4. Do you have any direct experience with Linux of any description?
As an early employer of NT4, I can attest to the fact that the last four years have been a ongoing BETA test for the problem ridden OS. Linux may have been much less fashionable and attractive than NT4 but it has always been a functional and versatile workhorse. It was out of a feeling of object frustration with NT4 that I began introducing my clients to Linux.
Despite the steep learning curve, I was able to provide workable solutions to my customer's needs rather than developing first name relationships with MS online support personnel. Linux worked and continued to work while I was still rebooting NT4 for yet another attempt to track down some mystery malfunction.
"If you're managing multiple servers for increased scalability, you're better off using multiple NT servers all participating within the same domain."
Yet another silly statement devoid fact. Multiple Linux boxes serving a common domain is much more logical from a hardware-cost/support-cost viewpoint. The fact that Linux is free has little appeal to most corporate types and can actually create distrust in the executive suites. However the cost of hardware, service, upgrade and administration of NT4 is significant and ongoing.
"Also, remember that Linux is still Unix. One of the reasons for Windows' growth has been the complexity of configuring and maintaining Unix operating systems."
Another silly statement. Windows NT's growth is a product of the popularity of the W3* and W9* desktop systems, not a function of it's administration and maintenance record (dismall, by most accounts). The fact is many middle management types believe that because they perceive W95/8 to be a simple, pretty and interesting graphical OS to work with on the desktop, that NT4 will be the will be the same in the server closet. They are accustomed to rebooting their desktop GUI several times a week and see no problem with a network server that requires the same kind of support. Windows NT is like the Cadillac of the late 50's early 60's: Popular, ornate, expensive and loaded with "powered features", but frail, high maintenance and not yet fit for the practical long haul!
"If you're responsible for operating system selection in your company, be wary of the Linux play."
It is unfortunate that you know so little about what you are talking about. I am willing to bet you have never administered a Linux or Unix server before making such bizarre fear-generating statements.
I believe the powerful insurgence of Linux into the server closets of the corporate world is just the beginning. As Sys-Admins learn the value of Linux on the desktop for most applications (e-mail, text processing, number crunching, data entry, etc) as a time & cost effective alternative to W9*, Microsoft and Bill Gates are going to have to rely on the fear and confusion created by ignorant people like yourself.
"Linux is a college student's project gone astray."
Linux is the very essence of cooperation of the best minds in the world guided by a soft-spoken genius whose contribution to the intellectual property of Earth is every bit as significant as that of Bill Gates (some would argue more, but...)
Your attempt to marginalize Linux and Linus Torvalds is yet another example of your own fear and ignorance. You are just another uninformed hack, fearful of change, perhaps too lazy to learn anything new and obviously incompetent to render an informed, balanced and unbiased opinion.
I must admit that I love my W98 desktop with it's Internet Explorer 5.0, Outlook Express and high speed games (chromed tailfins & powered seats - how does the saying go? Four buttons where none are needed?). But I rely on Linux for a robust stable server/development platform - in other words, the Real Work. I own NT4 Server and Workstation but they are not currently installed on anything.
The Linux GUI has evolved so dramatically of late that if I had two or two hundred employees, all on a LAN/WAN, I would put Linux on their desktop AND in the server closet. An employee would have to have a specific application that is simply not available in Linux before I would permit W98 on a desktop. Can you say VMware?
I have no problem with Mr. Gates or Microsoft but I believe they will have to address the reliability and functionality of their network products before they can expect people to continue paying big dollars to buy and support NT* in the server closet and W* on the desktop. As for NT on the desktop, why bother?
It is still annoying to boot up W98 and find all my mail missing, or the icons are now unrecognizable, or the windows settings refuse to be memorized, or it locks up tight during an Internet game, or refuses to kill an app despite repeated attempts, or... well, you get the idea.
In closing, I hope Mr. JP Morgenthal is more competent in other areas of expertise than he has demonstrated here. Perhaps something in real estate.
Just one guy's opinion.
Best regards,
Brian
PS: I experienced a W98 system freeze during the compositon of this e-message. It is fortunate that out of long habit and experience with MS OS products that I had frequently updated a backup of this document. I only lost about 15 minutes work and it was quickly duplicated.