[dundee] Your views on why linux is better than MS other others OS's

[Lee Hughes]

hmmm.. It's a computers, and it's software, so it's  
rubbish.

It's just certain degrees of rubbish that you have
to contend with. Linux I find slightly less rubbish
than windows!

Seriously.

1)
Linux is source code based. So you can always
fix the problem or get a programmer to fix it for you.

MS, is a closed shop, even if you know the answer
you can't repair your system with a patch, your
not allowed. THERE IS ALWAYS A FIX with LINUX!


2)Linux is about freedom of choice, allowing you
to replace key systems components with alternatives,
don't like cron, use vixie-cron, dont' like gnome,
use kde..etc etc.

MS , you get it, and that's it, they way the system
is designed makes replacing key systems components 
impossible. MS don't live on on One Microsoft way
for no reason!


3) Stability, I find Linux a lot more stable than
windows. For servers , why do you need a GUI
component?
Even windows administrators can't answer that one.


4)Security

Security patches seem to be release more quickly on
linux platforms. Microsoft have a strange mindset
when it comes to security engineering. 

Due to the way leagacy microsoft security has worked,
it's too late to implement good securiy on the MS
platform. How many users run as adminstrator because
they have no notion of the basic, normal user,
and administrative user. They system is shocking.

Microsoft like features.., features they think 
make them money! However every feature increase
the security problems. How many features do you
use in MS OFFICE 10%? 20% 50%. Software has to
be simpler to remain secure.


5)Development system 

Linux is a development system, and comes with tools
built in to develop itself. MS needs extra lib's and 
programs before you start writing code. Most which
cost $$$$


6)Has what you need, does'nt have some of of what
you don't. It's not Bloatware!!


7)Millions of potential developers working on it.

I'm always shocked that MS core products are written
by small teams , locked away in the HQ. Linux has
developers from all over the world. Have you ever
thought that some, apart from an American could have
the next best idea in regards to software development?

There's a whole planet out there, waiting submit
patches and write programs.


8) Culture is about Solving Problems , not making
money.

Linux has a strong history of solving computing
engineering problems. Microsoft do have some very
cool solutions to component software, now with
it's .net model. But Any attempt by microsoft go
'cross platform' is looked upon by suspicion. 
Embrace , Extended and Extinguish !!!

9)
Open standards, If I build one piece of software,
I know, with little effort I can interface it to
another piece of linux software quite easily.

If my configuration files are stored as .txt or
xml, I know other programs can probably read this
format.

Microsoft have bizzare databases to keep configuration
data within the operating system. This system is
complex and not well understood.


10)
If I take a hard drive of a linux system from one
computer, and place it within another, it works!
different hardware configuration...it's just another
computer to the linux kernel.

Microsoft, one the O/S is install, it is in stone,
moving it to another system will me a total reintall,
or require the use of expensive tools.

11)

Reinstalls, how many microsoft systems need to be 
reinstalled due to software failure?

How many man hours on this planet has microsoft
cost us in reinstalling systems. I'd hate
to calculate


12) Software quality.

Software quality seems, higher, linux hackers take
pride in their software release. Microsoft is
if it compiles, get it on the door! The platform
attacks hard to understand and resource hog
software. I'd say MS programmers don't know much
about software optomisation? WHy would they need
to, just upgrade the hardware, and at the same
time make MS a bit more money!!

13) Testing and Feedback

If I submit bug reports for linux system, I usually
get some kind of response, even if it's not the
response I want!! at least it something.

I have on more that one occasion been able to
speak to the developer *ACTUALLY* wrote the code.
and was able to resolve a fix!


Microsoft, how many people have actually talked
to anyone at microsoft! Apart from trying to
get a new license key, or activiation !!!

14)

Clusters.

You can't use MS products for clusters due to thier
per cpu charges!! Linux you can install a 1000 for
free!
Clusters make sense for linux!

15)

one size fits all. How can one operating system
be ge good at all tasks. Computer researchers needs
to compile thier own kernel! Graphics guys need
optomised gpu systems, etc etc.

this microsoft , NT does it all! How wrong can you
be...

systems need to be tailored to the task, not the
other way around.

16) Distros... 

you've got a choice to run run red hat over suse?
debian over ubunutu, do it!!!

settle on something you like!"

the core of the systems are the same, it's linux,
and it's open.


17) Learning. There's a lot of material out there to
learn unix and linux. I mean it's high quality and
in depth. Linux poeple usually know alot more about
thier machines , and whats going on behind the scenes.

Microsoft poeple, tend to click , click , click,
it's so easy, but they can't tell you exactly what
those clicks are doing in terms of how the machine
is operating...dangerous mindset!

18) MS have not much going on in the idea department!
If I sit here, and say to myself, hey I've got a great
Idea of a tool that I need, then I can write it. Then
I could probably send it someone, and they go, I like
this, I'll bundle it with my distro.

bang! it's part of the operating system.


18) It's cheap.

OLPC can keep thier costs down, whilst providing top
notch tools. If they shipped XP, then hey, that's
twice the base price already, and the laptop would
need to be twice as powerful to run notepad!!!

So they really have shot themself in the foot 
with this one.

Do you know the the original Internet Explorer
was written by no less than Three guys at MS?

now think about the economics,
three guys can develop a piece of software the
whole world uses? now do the math?

you don't even need to put it on CD rom, it
has no physical form apart from 0/1 within
your computers, or down the internet!

interesting. so how can software have such 
a large price tag? How can microsoft justify 
it's price tag for XP?

it certainly not research and development is it!


I'm not talking full blown apps here, I'm talking
utilites that make your life easier.

Microsoft does'nt come with any of these tools,
they want you to buy norton utils or something?

Microsoft you get a kernel! and notepad!
that's it!

Hopefully with linux you get thousands of tools
you can start being productive straight away.

---------------

Distros seems to differ on in terms of

Window Manager (KDe , Gnome , something)
Package management
Upgrade Cycles
Package availability.
Lib's and Kernel Levels.

task .. I.e server, workstation, development, games!


if you don't beleive any of this propergander..


install vista...

do you see that running on a $100 dollar laptop.

I rest my case.

Where do I see microsoft in years time?

Micro who?


They've already lost the battle.

We all know we're going to be using openBSD in 2017
;-) hahahaha.

Developers, Developers , Developers.

Oh, Bill was jsut announced 1st richest man in
America today..

Well done Bill!



























--- David Thornton Snr <davidthorntonsnr at yahoo.co.uk>
wrote:

> Hi all,
> I'm looking for views on the above subject and to be
> truthful any other input to include on my website. 
> Is it the ease of use? package updates? built-in
> utilities, etc.
> Also any 'how tos' that you have found useful. 
> Or why you think that XXX distro is better than YYY.
> In other words any info that you think would be good
> to include on the site
> I (with agreement) will put a link to Tlug and any
> other link you think would be good to include if you
> let me know.
> 
> I'm not looking for anything else but if you think
> of anything else please email me.
> 
> It's not an all singing and dancing site, I've tried
> to keep it simple to make it fast loading.
> The site and content is coming along nicely.
> 
> cheers everyone
> Have a nice Christmas and a Happy New Year.
> 
> Dave
> 
> 
> 
> 
>      
>
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