On Thu, 2003-11-27 at 18:53, Mary Gardiner wrote: > I think this is fair enough actually. > The popularity of MS Windows *is* a reason to use it (it's familiar, > there are a lot of admins who know it...). The popularity of Apache is > also a reason to use Apache.
This is a very reasonable approach. I would like all slug to take heed. > Popularity is neither necessary or sufficient reason for a particular > software choice, but it is a reason, nonetheless. Thanks for that. As I began to write and stripped but it now seems apparent. reasons to pick software (and hence hardware) : Capital / initial cost Cost of ownership (Maintenance, personnel) Real requirements vs Marketing requirements. Many features are just that and not required but "perceived" required. Cost of hardware. The total cost of ownership and hardware upgrades and the BUSINESS bottom line is where this is important. With a server with ONE server providing most services then $10,000 is not a large distance from $5,000 but if you are talking 1,500 PC's at $1,000 per PC then you are talking $1,500,000. The server argument is different from the desktop argument. The reasons for a server to be windows are apparent, nice point and click interface, reasonable security. Linux is better for MARKET penetration once again. The people out there on the bleeding edge of the Internet ie the ISP's largely use Linux for cost reasons and security reasons. The wheeler paper does a better argument, I wont dwell. There is nothing wrong with admitting that "market penetration would tell you to make this business choice" but you have recommended another direction for other reasons. Business respects honesty, tell them the truth don't allow the other side to release bombshells by outlining their arguments in advance and spelling out why you have chosen another path. Advocacy rules and use Windows with FOSS if that is where you need to be, cygwin & OpenOffice.org rules on Windows as well. Take victories in FOSS for Windows and success there will lead to a closer look at the whole package. Slug should actively support Windows gimp, OOo, cygwin, putty because it is a start on the road to all that is right and good. (Ooops fell off my soapbox...) -- Thanks KenF OpenOffice.org developer -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group - http://slug.org.au/ More Info: http://lists.slug.org.au/listinfo/slug
