Do not underestimate the Microsoft ! [LWN.net]

Do not underestimate the Microsoft !

Posted Jan 24, 2003 15:01 UTC (Fri) by alan (subscriber, #4018)
In reply to: Do not underestimate the Microsoft ! by khim
Parent article: Microsoft's changing tune on Linux (News.com)

It is trivial to avoid scsi devices being renamed on linux. I ran into this pseudo-difficulty on a storage network of SCSI SAN arrays, just pay attention to how your system is configured. And yes devfs does solve this problem.

Pointing out that a windows registry holds similar information as /etc and dot-private hidden files in home directories is a non-argument. You've pointed out the differences, not any failings in one or the other. That said, editing system wide config text files in /etc, and having the ability to set different user settings overriding defaults is very nice. The 'architectural' difference here is the general unix multiuser concept, something imitated (poorly) in NT and variants (like XP). Where NT has needed to run to more complicated schemes like ACL's, octal owner/group/world perms are still fairly appropriate and useful permission scheme. Simple works. Simple good. Be Smart, Be Simple.

That said, do not underestimate Microsoft. They are very good at understanding the needs of Joe Average.

"So from Joe Average (who does not know how to run gcc and do not care) point of view Microsoft is fixing problems while Linux claiming that solution exists and do nothing."

From the propagandist view of Joe Average, 'Linux' is a company or some responsible body. Mr Average doesn't know the freedom given him by an open platform, if he has a problem with LinuxCompanyA he can always take his exact problem to LinuxCompanyB and have his problems solved. 'Microsoft' can be held responsible. 'Linux' is a term used so widely that it can confuse poor Mr. Average's average brain. This is where the commercial linux vendors come in. IMHO they need the full support of the community in this.

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