The real cost of switching to Linux - Is TCO really lower than Unix or Windows?

Info World ^ | 08.29.2003 | By Dave Margulius

[SengirV]

Although Linux is often thought of as a free alternative to established OSes such as Windows and proprietary Unix

I stopped reading after this sentance(third one to be precise). What makes Unix proprietary and Windows not? If you start an 'unbiased' assesment like this, you lose all credibility. At least the author saved me the time of reading his drivel. Let me guess - Linux is good for a couple of things, Windows for the vast majority, and Unix could be replaced by either.

[RightWingNilla]

LIGHT LAMP

MOVE WEST

HIT TROLL WITH AXE

KILL TROLL WITH AXE

Ahh the memories!

[Princeliberty]

Windows is great if your like that which is
inferior yet costs more!

[eno_]

I'd love to see what would happen in my office. I'm surrounded by people that are stumped with performing easy Windows tasks. Daily I'm asked to help find "lost" files, change print orientations from portrait to landscape or link a Lotus Notes document to an email. I once spent 2 hours showing a guy how to use a BAT file to automate some simple repeated tasks. In less than 20 minutes it was like I had never talked to the guy. OTOH it might be fun watching brains explode when someone has to grep a file.

I always thought the relationship workers should have with their PC is like the realtionship and infantryman has with his rifle. If the infantryman can't take care of his rifle (and I hope there is no M16 help desk!) he's screwed. In the current employment environment, I'd gladly tell any employee: "Figure out how to use your tools or get out."

[stainlessbanner]

I love it! How many hours did we play zork trying to configure our next move?

Hmmm...Zork might cut into my FR time. Thanks for the links - you guys rock!

[stainlessbanner]

Both sides agree Zork has the lowest TCO.

[backhoe]

RUN DOS\RUN

fdisk

[OKSooner]

Ping.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Funny, no mention of the cost of having the Business Software Alliance/Microsoft kick in the doors of your business and fine it into bankruptcy because, even though you bought enough licenses to cover all your sofware, you didn't keep track of them in the manner proscribed by Microsoft.

[MarkL]

Is this a trick question? :o)

Not at all... It's a statement of fact. Like I said, please tell me about this NWAdmin utility or service that comes with Win2K. There's no reference to it on the MS web sites, google/microsoft has nothing on it, and 3 MCSEs have never heard of it...

So what is this great utility that eliminates the need for NetWare.

Mark

[RedBloodedAmerican]

I should have phrased that differently. You don't need to add anything to WinXp/200x since they can install Client Service for NetWare.

[snooker]

Oh boy, another article about the panacea of replacing 'expensive boxes' with 'cheap commodity' ones. That is until the cheapos fold up like a, well you know, a cheap suit. Funny how these articles always overlooks this in their simplistic TCO analysis.

You get what you pay for still applies. Cheapo commodity hardware you buy at Circuit City or Dell is still cheapo hardware prone to collasping at any time. If it's the server it usually takes your business with it. Adding RAID and clustering helps, but by the time you are done, where is the savings?

It's kind of like comparing desktop windoze to Linux and leaving out the need for all the windows systems repair utilites, virus scanners, and various other utilities you need to buy to actually run your desktop 24/7.

Buy the expensive stuff and run your business not waste your time trying to run your computers.

Been there done that, over and over again. But I keep checking back to see if 'buy the cheapo' works yet.