I'm running Linux & NT on the same Hardware.
My Expieriences: (+ means ok, - means not ok, +- so-la-la)
Linux: NT:
---------------------------------------+--------------------------
++ costs nothing + expensive
+ integrated Networking - only Client Soft included
Server & Client --- Server costs extra
+++ Server: No User limit - each client costs
+++ Standard Network protocol +- proprietary NetBui
TCP/IP +++ SMB works over TCP/IP, IPX
+ On the Net widely supportet + M$ professional Support
- may be hard to find a --- M$ tends to drop pre Alphas in
productionlevel rock stable system wide field tests. (I/O Bug in 4.0)
still under development, ask for for much $$$ custiomers are
best one abused for ALPHA and BETA Tests
- No Gerneral Supporter -+ very expensive proffessional Support
- very few Software + more Software, runs 16-Bit Win soft
*growing much* but too few native NT Soft, growing
+- Existing free Windows Emulation +++ runs windows soft
still under development
Sun's WaBi avaible by Caldera
+++ very stable - not so stable like it could ...
(right kernel choosen) (& some brain dead and bone headed
device drivers ...)
+++ stable server part - File Server NT 4.0 needs some
Fixes and Service PAcks for BIG File
crashes
++ designed from students without --- NT is a real memory and resource
the big hardware, the code is small wasting OS.
and effektive, no resources wasted
-- much Hardware to few + better situation, but not in general
High End Hardware supported GOOD, many drivers are bad beta
++ Modular Kernel - integral kernel
Network in kernel integrated -- Network tied on
++ Source Code deliverd in general -- no source code
++ Development System belongs to -- no development sys
the OS
- few printed Documentation + 'completely' documented
(you may do it by your self)
more than complete documented
+ POSIX amd X/Open conform -- no POSIX or X/Open
(Lasermoon Distribution) POSIX.1 Certifcation was bought by M$
NT special, not really usable
+ Most source code runs without - Limited to Intel or Alpha or Mips
changeges on other unix platforms. Engines, running NT
Number Cruncher needed? --- hard to get non Intel Soft
switch/compile your code on a really
fast Engine.
+++ Platforms: Intel, Sparc, Alpha,
Mips, PowerPC, Motorola 68kX
+++ very good debugging options --- worse debugging, sometimes
a 2nd NT machine needed
+++ pentium Optimizing + optimized for Pentiums
+++ Symetric Multiprocessor + Symetric Multiprocessors possible
upto 16 PEntium Pros, stepping
up to SMP is possible without
general new install
+++ Software RAID-0 And Raid-1 --- RAID solutions costs extra
(Disk Stripping, RAID-0 speeds
DISK I/O much up)
+++ many mission critical and - I know not one Internet Service
stable installations at universities Provider, running NT
and ISPs
Operational Topics:
++++ very good and stable ---- worst Taskmanagement, I ever
taskmanagement nearly impossible had seen, one badly writen piece
(working hardware is recommended) of soft may crash the whole system
to crash a Linux by software (GUI messagequeue Bug, well known)
++++ very good fault tolerance, --- many errors crashes/stops server
if not the root disk/patition PErhaps I hear better about ?
is damaged, all mostly other
hardware related errors do not
stop the server
+++ Linux is completely remote ----- no possiblity to Remote Adminster
configurable of all features, if a problem
occours, you have to visit the server
by yourself and somtimes you have to
hit the reset button
+++ really all services may be ----- you have to boot mostly ever
started and stopped due if you change anything in networking
running production system environment, changed routes ?
It's a good idea to run more reboot recommended
than one NIC, so you will have
a spare one to activate and use
if a network error occurs, you're
faster online again, without booting
The network environment is designed
for production state, chanes are
good possible,
if more NICs are built in, you
can route one defective NICs
traffic through another. You loose only
thos productions of this one. All other keep
on working, till you have next service
shutdown sheduled.
++++ samba file/printservices on - bad/slow network performance
a linux machine are +20% faster
for serving NT, Win, 95 Lan
manager clients than NT (same hardware)
+++ most Linux network services are
faster than NT
+++ standard Mailer daemons --- Windows MAilexchanger does not
match plenty of mailproblems,
costs extra
+++ sendmail avaible free --- sendmail cost extra
+++ additional mail utilities --- none of them, mapi.dll doesn't know
about smtp.
+++ very good free Webserver --- cost extra
+++ very good free ftp server --- cost extra
+++ very good free database server --- cost extra
+++ faxserver --- cost extra
+++ modem shareable --- RAS and other services shares not
+++ free uucp server/client --- ?
+++ ppp, sh, uucp, fax on same port --- ?
+++ ip aliasing --- ?
+++ iptunneling/masquerading ___ ?
+++ NFS Server standard --- cost extra
+++ NIS Server --- ?
+++ X11R6, networkcapable GUI --- Windows GUI is not Networkcapable
(running Remote Programms) (cost much $$$$ extra)
+++ well documented weak points - not very well dokumented
in security Topics, security holes, not good checked
all are stoppable security, if a hole occurs, you
have to wait for the next Service
Pack and pray util it arrives
--- not any C2 certification at all +++ C2 certified, if the NT is
Nobody did pay for this certify not connected to a Network, and
has no Diskdrive
In General you have to decide by your self. I prefer for development use
Linux, because 1) the low hardware costs, 2) the debugging options,
3) the unix facility to use real supercomputer for number crunching if
I need it. (NT is not UNIX) I love the Linux facility to switch over to
another Console even you are in X11 or having seperate Debugging screens.
Linux does ever respond at once to your actions, NT often not.
The status of linux: 'No input possible' I had never seen. Ever I
requested an access to the machine I was able to get it, mostly without
running to this machine.
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Just think about ...
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Jürgen Sauer Tel. +49 4209-3021 jojo@sae.extern.fh-hannver.de
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