Re: tlug: Hustling NT 5 out the door

["Manuel M. T. Chakravarty" <chak@example.com>]

John De Hoog <washi@example.com> wrote,

> Jonathan Byrne - 3Web <jq@example.com> wrote:
> 
> > According to this ZDNet article, MS claims it will have NT 5 beta 3 out by
> > Thanksgiving and is making noises about releasing NT 5
> > in 1999 Q1.  The article says they are dumping features
> > in order to get something shippable out the door on
> > schedule.  Could it be that they're feeling pressured by
> > Linux on one side and the latest Netware on the other?
> > 
> > Clearly, they don't want to allow the window of opportunity for Linux that
> > would open up with a late 1999 or 2000 release of NT 5,
> > but if they dump enough promised features just to ship
> > in Q1, they'll be opening the window anyway, in the form
> > of a gutted product that makes buyers wait for NT 5.1
> > (or .2 or .3) and doubtless pay more for it just to get
> > what was promised for 5.0 but not delivered.
> 
> What, specifically, are the features that are being "dumped"? I read
> a few months ago that the feature list for 5.0 had been closed; is it
> being pared down further than that? Also, have you used NT5.0 beta 2
> long enough to know how it stacks up against, say, Linux?
>
> While we're on the subject of upgrades, was TurboLinux 2.0 a free
> upgrade from 1.0? What about 3.0? It seems to me some of your statement
> above could be applied to at least some Linux
> distributions as well.

Of course, the upgrade is *free* if you donwload it from their
ftp site!  Maybe you should read the GPL (GNU Public
Lisence), which covers most of the code in a Linux
distribution, for a start.  If you buy their CD-ROM you pay
of course, but then compare prices with M$.

> Here's a different view, for those who are interested.
> http://www.internet-nexus.com/nt5/ntws5b2_review.html

This review is the best proof that NT 5.0 doesn't have much
to offer over Linux.  Look at the features listed in the
article:

* First thing ``User interface improvements'': Great?!? Their
  GUI wasn't bad for a start, but if that is the most
  significant feature...

* Then, ``Multimedia features'': Interesting...I can also
  play CDs on my Linux system.

* ``System management features'': The first thing so far
  that sounds remotely interesting.

* ``Applications and Applications management'': M$ noticed
  that their management of DLLs sucks and eliminates (maybe) 
  some problems that never existed in Linux in the first
  place. 

Overall, these are exactly the features that I would expect
from a state-of-the-art server OS.  Well done, Bill!

If you want to know, why NT sucks, read

  http://www.kirch.net/unix-nt/

And then, check how many of NT 4.0's problems are addressed
in the review you referenced.  This is exactly what Jonathan 
meant when he was talking about a window of opportunity.

Manuel
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