Re: Xandros reviews -- emulating Windows, bug for bug, even

["Bryan J. Smith" <b.j.smith@ieee.org>]

On Mon, 2004-03-08 at 21:04, Steven Pritchard wrote:
> Actually, I think Samba 3 pretty much catches up with Windows nicely.
> There *might* be some Win2k+3 stuff it doesn't do, but I wouldn't know
> since I've never actually seen that particular waste of money.  It
> does handle XP fine though, and it supports things that none of my
> clients use (such as Active Directory).

Samba 3 has a radically changed back-end.  It supports all sorts of ways
to store the user database -- from a SAM-like file to LDAP-integration.

>From my understanding, Samba 3 can emulate portions of AD, as long as no
native DCs exist, and vice-versa.  I.e., you either have to be 0 native
Windows NT 5.x (2000/2003) Servers acting as Domain Controllers (DCs)
for Samba to be your DCs, or you have to have 0 Samba servers actings as
DCs in a native NT 5.x DC setup.

> Yeah, Windows tends to be pretty solid if nothing actually runs.

Exactomundo.

> Seriously, the problems with Windows are pretty deep.  Apparently the
> upcoming service pack for XP is going to fix (or, more likely, paper
> over) some of the more glaring examples.

There's "Good News(TM)" on the horizon for MS.

The new MS Security chief has basically regurgitated _everything_ *REAL*
Windows gurus have been saying for years -- that DOS-based Windows was
stupid, NT-based Windows was never designed for the Internet, and the
"ease-of-use without thought" on the client is the problem.  I.e., he
_openly_admits_ that Windows was _never_ designed for the Internet, much
less security.

Of course, I've heard such admissions of guilt before, only to see Gates
and the executives decide that the product should stay shit if the
marketing still sells.  After all, compatibility and path-of-least
resistance (i.e., less cost to evolutionary redesign, instead of
revolutionary redesign) seems to rein supreme at MS.

> Steve, feeling too lazy to finish this particular rant.  ;)

Same here.


-- 
Bryan J. Smith, E.I. -- Engineer, Technologist, School Teacher
b.j.smith@ieee.org



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