Messages in this thread |  | | Date | Mon, 27 Jan 1997 18:53:27 -0500 (EST) | From | Tom Zerucha <> | Subject | Re: Good point of Linux over Windows NT |
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Once, when they were trying to expunge Linux where I work, I came up with
The Corporate Rules of Software Quality
1. Having someone to call (blame) is far more important than actually being able to fix the problem.
2. Expensive, faulty, proprietary, bloated, slow systems are superior to Cheap, robust, open, efficient, fast systems.
On some of the other issues, lots of hardware is not supported under NT, but only have Windows 95 drivers. Microsoft has a tech support line, but I think Caldera may offer a similar service. Microsoft has lots of bugs and incompatibilities, though Windows NT is much more stable - only Microsoft office seems to be able to lock it up (and maybe the recently rumored ActiveX application). Windows NT is full of "secrets" and quirks. My coworker cannot change something because it doesn't think he is the administrator of his own computer. He cannot install some package because it can't find the correct Win32 API, and it comes with Win32s.
Back in the early 1970's, General Motors owned 50% of the US auto market, and they had faulty gas-guzzlers with terrible service. But people kept buying them. Until the oil shock gave reason for people to check out what the Japanese car makers were doing. During this time, no one got fired for buying IBM, though their software/hardware value was greatly exceeded by the hype. Time has a way of dividing truth from error.
MS need not make the code open, but they should try to make it reliable and efficient before coming out with a new version with even more problems. If they don't, they will start to lose market share even as GM and IBM did.
tz@execpc.com finger tz@execpc.com for PGP key
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