Why Linux sucks as a real world solution... :)

[RC45]

Lest people think I am just a Micro$haft Evangelist...

Let's have a topic that is dedicated to the 2 camps that feel on the one hand Linux already has a current legitimate future as a business solution - and the other more level headed group that says "Bullshit - it's just the easiest new product sell for the sales channel at this time that large server providers need to help push product to keep investors happy"..

So - in this spirit lets have the full blown debate as to why YOU feel you are in either camp..

Hell - we could even include the Apple in this debate - afterall, there are those of us that think they are overpriced pieces of crap that appeal to the Starbucks crowd..

[RC45]

Here goes my opening argument:

I am sitting here putting the final touches to a system that is to be deployed in a Maryland HQ'd hospital system that will provide access to and deploy the client component of their time keeping, patient record keeping, X-Ray analysing, pharmaceutical distributing and business management systems.

This will be deployed at the main hospital campuses and various satellite nursing homes, recovery units and out-patient facilities.

While I am only responsible for the clients, and terminal services based (Citrix) client session hosting - it ties back into a number of rather sophisticated other platform systems.

Not a Linux box in sight.

An AS/400 interface, 3270 interface, MS SQL interface, NT Domain (soon to be AD) interface, a Netware interface (hopefully phased out in the next year ) and various mix of PC's thinclients, Terminal Emulators and Laptops.. (and a few Apple Powerbooks for the doctors to look cool (but use the ICA client)

The only place Linux even enters into the equation - the only place Linux probably features (and I have yet to locate em.. ) is in some of the web components and maybe the routing and switching and firewall environment..

Why is this the case?

Not one of the rather expensive application solutions has any Linux compatibility.

Pure and simple..

[snacky]

I don't like starbux. I don't like paying $5 a cup of coffee. For $5, I can rent a good new porn

O.S. : Windows O.S. and Apple O.S. ( Unix based I hear) are more or less the same and most people will probably be able to learn and use it, but there's no way that 50 yr old office wench is going to take the time to learn KDE or GNOME. It's not as (beginner) user friendly as the other two O.S. as the G.U.I. goes.

[mindgam3]

I am by no means a linux-head, nor do i neccesarily think its the better solution - i'm not an IT analyst, what would i know? All my PC's run MS at home and i probably will for the concievable future....

But the market for linux is increasing rapidly, particuarly in servers but more notably in desktops and laptops as it has just recently kicked apple out of the number 2 OS spot. Who would've thought that a few years ago....

Secondly, HP have introduced desktops and laptops with linux pre installed on them who would've thought that a few years back when linux and unix were only known to the geek community.

As i've also said in my other posts in the F1 section, IBM have had the most server revenue recently, and 75% of their servers are linux based. Sun microsystems have the 3rd most server revenue recently and their almost completely linux based. HP and dell are 2nd and 5th respectively and both are more and more of their server solutions are linux.

As i also said, cost effectiveness, integration, functionality and performance are all debatable when it comes to server OS. The fastest server though just happens to run best on linux..... coincidence?

The fastest computer in the world also runs on linux.

I in by no means stating that linux and other open source OS are taking over the world, MS continus to dominate the desktop market and the sever market, although less so in the server market.

What I am saying is that more and more companies, coporations, enterprieses, governments etc etc are moving some/all of their systems to open source OS and linux and the like are more dominant and are becoming even more popular than they ever have been

And RC45, although i have respect for you and your job, you probably know a lot more about computing than i do, but a hospital system is nothing compared to billion dollar multinational systems that HP, IBM and the like provide. 200 severs is nothing in these terms. When it comes down to it, its who is advising the company, who is makes the best sales pitch and which is most economicaly beneficial in the companies given cicumstance..... not neccesarily which is the better OS

my lil bit.... for now

[RC45]

Originally Posted by mindgam3 When it comes down to it, its who is advising the company, who is makes the best sales pitch and which is most economicaly beneficial in the companies given cicumstance..... not neccesarily which is the better OS

Exactly..

And the system sales is based on current solution requirements and budgetry manouvres.. afterall, in any corporate environment, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

And unless the new POS system runs one Linux somewhere down the line it won't be installed on a Linux server farm - and hence the servers won't be purchased.

That is the point.

I was part of an initiative about 4 years ago where we tried to give Linux a push-start - the idea was to have Linux based servers act as multi-user application desktop servers - as Unix has been used for years.

However, the Linux distro houses were stupidly trying to capture the "desktop space" - and they missed a golden opportunity to push Linux servers running Star Office and pushing that to the existing windows desktops and other devices with a scaled down X11 display subset.

Based on our pricing and the fact that the Linux servers setup on the then current PIII Xeon servers outperformed the Windows Terminal Services based systems significantly - we could have sold the servers into many companies.

But - they insisted on taking on the desktops - which we knew was a battle they would lose.

So - instead of increasing the end-user base by 200,000 Linux users over the last number of years - we sold that many Citrix and MS Cals.

Thses kinds of fauxpauxes are why the open source crowd are doomed They are there own worst enemy.

Instead of teaming up with solution providers and selling SOLUTIONS they are just trying to move product. A very short sighted model. But then again, when they signed up with the big manufacturers they stopped caling the shots and are just along for the ride now.

And we all know what hgappens when the OS and hardware get tied together - can you say Sun .. ?