On Mon, 15 May 2000, David P. Greenberg wrote:
> :-) Currently, you run Linux, because you recognize that MS products have
> :-)serious issues
> <snip>
> Is it just me, or does it seem that all this Linux vs. Microsoft stuff is a
> little ridiculous? I love Linux, which I am still pretty much a newbie with,
> but I also enjoy Win95, Win3x and Dos. I kind of feel like that guy who got
> beat up by those LA cops, Rodney King when I say "Can't we all just get
> along?"
OH PLEASE.
First of all, not to lessen the severity and seriousness of the police
brutality, but let's not forget that Rodney King WAS a criminal.
Secondly, if you READ my post, I made specific points about serious
SECURITY issues as well as resource usage issues one must deal with when
running Microsoft APPLICATIONS. Your post doesn't address my post so much
as one character worth. Did you bother to go past what you quoted? Your
post would suggest that you didn't.
Thirdly, though I did not explicitly say it because I would prefer a Linux
solution, what I'm actually saying is that even on Windows, ANY OTHER
VENDOR'S PRODUCTS ARE BETTER TO USE. Because they generally are much more
secure by default, and generally don't suffer from quite the same level of
bloat (though certainly there are exceptions). However, in general, Linux
applications are still better, in terms of resource usage and SECURITY,
which is what I'm most concerned about. Admittedly, flash doesn't impress
me much, if the underlying functionality is broken or brain-damaged.
> Does it in any way make Linux a stronger OS to be constantly
> decrying Microsoft.
I have to admit, I get a little tired of people complaining about
Microsoft bashing. Poor, poor Microsoft. They don't deserve to be
bashed... They're only out to make the world a better place... Yeah
right.
Did it ever occur to you that if so many people bash Microsoft, there
might actually be a good reason?
I decry Microsoft because they deserve it, not because I'm trying to
strengthen Linux. I try to strenghten Linux, but only because the
alternative sucks. I use Linux and Linux apps because Microsoft's OS and
applications, while flashy and pretty, have very serious implications for
critical applications, wether for the home user or in business.
I'm specifically addressing issues concerning security and resource usage.
These are not assertions, they're documented facts. Linux does have
weaknesses compared to Microsoft in some areas. But those weaknesses I
have addressed should be, in my mind, sufficient to keep businesses from
using their applications AT ALL. If there were better alternatives than
Linux, then I would use those instead. But since (as I see it) there
aren't, I'll do everything I can to help promote MS's #1 contender.
Someone else must agree with me, which I conclude from the fact that Linux
has been the fastest growing OS in the server market for quite some time
now, and MS has actually lost market share. There are real reasons for
this... It isn't just hype.
Oh, and why aren't there better alternatives? Because Microsoft engages
in monopolistic business practices to buy or crush the competition. You
might have heard something about it in the news? But maybe not, it's only
been going on for oh, maybe a year now.
I'm also addressing issues concerning the mindset of managers in corporate
America. They seem to think that wasting resources, losing data,
productivity, and occasionally sanity is an acceptable tradeoff to use
products that look flashy and have bells and whistles. I find this
attitude atrocious.
If you are going to refute those points, then by all means do so. But
you'll find you'll have a hard time with it. I can produce gobs of
documentation to back up everything I've said. The most you'll be able to
do, as near as I can see, is disagree that my points are sufficient to
warrant looking for alternatives. However, such a conclusion seems
extremely illogical.
The rest of what you said has zero relevance to this discussion.
If you want me and others to stop bashing Microsoft, you'll have to prove
to me/us that their products don't have these flaws. That'll take some
doing.
Why do we do it? Because WE CARE. We care about our data, our security,
our sanity, AND YOURS TOO. We don't think people should have to deal with
all the problems that Microsoft has inflicted upon the world, and we're
trying to do something about it. And that is to make sure that you have
alternatives that work. AND MICROSOFT DOES EVERYTHING IT CAN TO MAKE SURE
WE FAIL. So go ahead, praise Microsoft. But don't expect me to. I know
they suck.
--
Derek Martin
System Administrator
Mission Critical Linux
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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