[Gllug] Linux on Desktop

[Dan Kolb]

On Wed, Jan 31, 2007 at 11:14:09PM +0000, Paul Rayner wrote:
> 
> On 31 Jan 2007, at 22:34, Juergen Schinker wrote:
> >
> >"what can i do better with linux (on the Desktop)in my working life/ 
> >day"
> 
> 1) nmap for checking network problems, seeing what's connected to the  
> network and what ports are open etc.

You should have a way of knowing what devices are on your network. Managed
switches can help - you can tie it down to ensure no unknown devices are
plugged in to your network.

nmap itself doesn't have to be run off one's desktop machine, of course.

> 2) Faster and better scripting allowing you to fix problems faster

Most of which is going to be done on the machine that's causing the problems.

> 3) Time saved not dealing with security updates/crashes etc on your  
> own machine

So Linux doesn't have security updates that need to be dealt with? Sorry, don't
follow. Windows updates can also be configured to download and install
automatically. As for crashes, I can't remember the last time I saw Windows
crash on me (and I use it all the time in my office and in my lab).

> 4) You're more used to it so can perform your normal tasks faster

Fair enough. However, it can cause problems if your company runs, say, Outlook
or Lotus Notes. Okay, when I was working, I could run Notes under Wine, but if
I needed to run MS Office, I had to VNC to a Windows 'server' to run it.
Wouldn't call it faster :)

I ran a FreeBSD desktop machine when working as a sysadmin. I was used to it,
so it didn't get in the way of me performing the tasks I needed to do.

> 5) A cronjob to shutdown your PC at X-O'clock each night in case you  

Which I think can be done under Windows without much trouble.

> If the servers you admin are linux, there are loads of options:
> 
> 6) Writing and testing scripts on your local machine before running  
> on servers (although I presume you have testing boxes..)
> 7) ssh -X to easily use remote X windows apps on your local machine

Plenty of Windows X servers available. And, say, putty allows forwarding of X
sessions. Arguably, you shouldn't need (remote) X to admin a system: it should
be doable from the command line.

> and many more - depends on your job I suppose.
> 
> Everything mentioned above can be done on Windows, but it could  
> easily be argued that it's easier on linux.

Cygwin is very, very useful here.

Dan
-- 
Some people have a way about them that seems to say: "If I have only
one life to live, let me live it as a jerk."
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