[Gllug] Re: is this a big problem?

[Matthew Thompson]

On 29 Aug 2005, at 23:00, Jim Bailey wrote:

> On Aug 29, 08:49, Matthew Thompson wrote:
>
>>
>> Nothing is free - everything has to be paid for and you couple of =20
>> days spent setting up a Samba domain which is "a monster using =20
>> something that not everyone will be able to readily administer." =20
>> could have been easily setupp in a matter of hours using windows  
>> for =20
>> a similar cost. A couple of hours and about =A3400 for Windows  
>> inc. 5 =
>> CALs
>>
>> For a small firm who just need some file and printer sharing the  
>> is =20
>> an example of how Windows and Linux can be cost neutral. In the =20
>> future, should there be a problem that causes these IT staff to be  
>> =20
>> unavailable, the day to day support overhead of the Windows system  
>> is =20=
>>
>> likely to be much lower.
>>
>
> Your arguments are fud

Not FUD - just a comment about a specific install that was claimed to  
take 2 days. But then you've trimmed that bit out to make my comment  
seem purely anti-linux.

> a skilled Linux sys admin could have basic Samba
> file sharing running in less than an hour a skilled MCSE Windows 2003
> advanced server in about the same time.  Most small businesses don't
> have a MCSE on staff.

And most companies don't have a skilled Linux sys admin on staff.

> If you are going to do small business support under Linux you  
> should be
> looking at E-smith server and spend a few hundred pounds on a  
> consultant
> to install it.  The cost of Microsoft's small business server is  
> around
> £500 plus extra if you need more than five clients.  The newEdubuntu
> distro should add to the choices for small businesses and  
> organisations
> with little in house tech skills.

Is this http://www.e-smith.org/ the e-smith you're talking about? Now  
supported by http://contribs.org/ ?

> The smart choice for SMEs is to find a decent consultant to set  
> them up
> a useable system appropriate to their needs and then find people in
> their organisation with the ability to handle day to day tasks of
> creating accounts updating software etc.

Agreed, finding a consultant who knows their stuff is always going to  
be the best way to go for an organisation that has limited IT  
knowledge. But when that Dell box arrives with windows pre-installed  
or the sales-person talks them into SBS because "You get exchange for  
free!" or some-such there's always going to be the people who will  
try it themselves.

These people need supporting - not being told that they're muppets  
and should never have touched the stuff.

> The number of misconfigured and unpatched Windows servers out there is
> very, very frightening.

It shouldn't be frightening - it should be an opportunity to sell  
services :)

M at t :o)

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