Re: [tlug] Linux, Solaris & AIX

["mike miller B-\)" <miklmiller@??>]

The perspective I'm writing from is certainly "data center-centric" based on my own experiences. I saw UNIX systems replace mainframes and the Windows "business systems" developed in distinctly different and simultaneous arena (first displacing departmental type servers). Microsoft was a realitive late comer to using TCP/IP but once it did that also was a major factor in it's growth in the data center. The inroads that Microsoft servers made into the data center was of course due in part to the lower hardware cost of commondity hardware as you point out. I don't believe perceived lack of network (i.e. TCP/IP operability) between UNIX variants was really a factor. However software vendors had to produce software and support for a number of UNIX platforms (another aspect of market fragmentation) whereas with Microsoft there was essentially one code base for the software vendors to focus on and market to.

Samba is very important because that was a way for Linux to
 insert itself into the Windows dominant business desktop networks (file/print services) you are describing. Of course Linux gained initial acceptance in the data center by replacing other OSes primarily for Internet services (Apache specificially comes to mind) and gained momentum after proving it'e effectiveness. One of the main reasons Red Hat is displacing the various UNIX variants in the environment I support is driven by the managment mantra of "commonality" (economies of scale, less variety ofr OSes to support, etc.) - which ties back into my original point of the inherent fragmentation of the UNIX market. 

"Stephen J. Turnbull" <stephen@??> wrote:
>  mike miller B-\) writes:
>
>  > One of the major "problems" within UNIX itself is the major
>  > differences between the variants which is one of the reasons
>  >
>  Windows gained a large share of the server market.
>
> I agree that differences between UNIX variants was a major obstacle to
> adoption, but they are generally quite interoperable over the network;
> after all, TCP/IP achieved World Domination when Linus was in diapers,
> and Berkeley sockets are part of POSIX.
>
> The reason that Windows gained share in the server market is that
> Windows built-in services (specifically file and printer sharing) were
> generally incompatible with everything except Windows.  Since Windows
> machines were the obvious cost-effective solution for the business
> desktop, that implied using Windows servers.
>
> That's why Samba is so important.
>
>
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