[luau] MSWindows

[Warren Togami]

On Sat, 2002-01-26 at 19:14, Randall Oshita wrote:
> Sup guys,
> I'm a heavy Windows user, and a Linux newbie.
> Why are open-source gurus so adamant towards Microsoft? <my opinion
> after surfing around numerous open-source communities. 
> Is it because they don't give their software away for free? 
> I know Linux dudes say it sucks but why? What makes it better?
>  
> I'm not trying to cause a fight with you guys, I like my Red Hat, just
> wanted to hear some opinions.
> Thanks.
> Randall Oshita

I have a different take on the situation than most Linux folks.  I
acknowledge that Microsoft has some very well designed technologies...
like Visual Studio, MS SQL Server management tools (not the server
itself), Windows XP remote desktop (and sound) protocol that beats VNC
by a wide margin, and especially MMC abstracted plugin-based management
tool interface and some others.  Notice how nearly everything I
mentioned is a management or development tool.  These pieces of their
warchest have much greater levels of integration, and GUI learning curve
than anything Open Source currently has.

(Yes, our system management and design tools need SERIOUS work.  Look at
Red Hat 7.3's configuration tools as an example of poor consideration
toward potential new sysadmins.  Look at the extreme flexibility and
control of MSSQL Enterprise Manager, then look at the best Open Source
tool.  I would love for someone to prove me wrong, though.)

The part about Microsoft that I detest is their abusive business
practices that leaves the industry with little choice by destroying
competition.  I want competition in the marketplace.  I hate Microsoft
for this to such a degree, that I would NEVER take a job that uses
primarily Microsoft, develops on Microsoft, or promotes the use of
Microsoft technology no matter how much I am offered.  This may not seem
like much to this list, but this is a radical concept in the Computer
Science department and I was laughed at by an entire room of fellow
students when I said it.

I simply will NOT support unethical practices, no matter what the cost.

What would it take for me to stop hating Microsoft?  If they stopped
being mean.  That's all.


In addition to my future plans for RHCE, I've recently decided that I
must study all aspects of other technologies including Microsoft and
Cisco.  I plan on getting CCNA soon, and studying MCSE after their .NET
server is released.  I am already very familiar with Windows 2000 Active
Directory because I've owned a license of Windows 2000 Advanced Server
and Pro edition since it was released.  (Active Directory is my only
real certification at this point.)

Why the heck would I do this?
1. It wouldn't take me much additional work.
2. I can make a more convincing argument of why Open Source is better at
a certain task if I fully understand Microsoft's tech.  Know thy enemy.
3. Knowing multiple systems, especially with experimentation with
Linux/Windows interoperability (like Samba) tends to create a much
greater level of understanding of Windows than most MCSE's will ever
know.