[brlug-general] Microsoft Windows Services for UNIX

[Eric G Ortego]

Dustin Puryear wrote:

>Okay. This is not a Windows problem. 
>

Right its a Microsoft Office issue. Just their little way of confusing 
users into thinking they are *required* to upgrade.

>If I write a document in a newer
>version of software that uses features or formatting not understood in the
>older version then I can't open the document, or it won't open properly.
>  
>

Thats not a format. Microsoft has redefined/forgotten what a *format* 
is, or rather they enjoy loose formats on which they can rearrange 
anything and everything at anytime in order to keep consumers from 
learning how to use it with anything outside products produced in 
redmond.   What Compatibility? No, *Microsoft's Idea of Compatibility*©. 
If I /buy/* *a  *newer* package of the /same /software, I should not 
have to upgrade the rest of the world in order for them to view my 
version of a document of the /same format.

/

>This can be found in Linux as well. 
>

Fair, I think allot of programmers out there suck at design.  Having 
more than one format is not useful from the user's point of view, only 
from the point of view of an evolving system or a powerful greedy 
cooperation. My opinion is that open source formats may change mostly 
because of  unforeseen design flaws whereas MS formats change to keep 
money in shareholders pockets. MS will never allow us to know the /real 
/reason they do what they do. Ask Mike Rowe how much they wanted to pay 
him for his website to disapear.

>Heck, it can be found anywhere where
>users are lucky enough to get new versions of software that they use.
>  
>

Well its obvious that Anon here isn't capable of figuring out the 
difference between xls versions nor should (s)he be.  I thought the 
reason for the three letter extension was so the OS could use the 
appropriate app to handle all files of that type designated by the 
extension? Microsoft can't even follow the standards that they set for 
themselves.  Lets not ask MS what mime types are for.

I understand that file formats change to allow for more/better features. 
Why do the they change when the format's type is assumed? Bad Design. 
Its not an Excel file anymore if Excel can't read it. Thats why you have 
the list of about 20 different .xls types to load from when opening 
files in each new version.

xls is not a format its just an extension.

>Not really. Windows Services for UNIX is actually a decent product.
>
>Let's say that you are an administrator in a Windows network. 
>

Was I recently fired?
*whew*

>You want to start using several Linux servers for some generic duty. 
>

I did, still do.

>You have two choices: create a parallel network of machines and management tools, or tie
>the new machines into your existing network and use the same management
>tools (e.g., user management). Which do you choose?
>  
>
3. Destroy the existing network and redesign it because obviously the 
last administrator got it wrong.

Seriously tho, I prefer to tie old machines into a redesigned yet 
un-knotted network.
But a parallel network of machines who follow well documented standards 
can be easier than what I prefer, yet not as easy as it should be to tie 
new machines into the existing infrastructure -- which microsoft has so 
graciously made neer impossible yet very expensive with the possible 
exception of the package discussed here. Ill have to check it out sometime.

>You should see Windows Services for UNIX as an *opportunity* to introduce
>Linux and UNIX into a Windows network. 
>  
>
I admit I know little about Windows Services for Unix, it has yet to be 
the solution. And when given a problem and asked for a solution I will 
unfortunately always factor in MS products but when it comes to software 
they are shoddy at best, expensive as hell, and corrupt as one can be. 

Have you used this?
 After reading the documentation it appears to be nothing more then a 
*nix VM  running NIS and nfs servers on top  of a windows server. If I 
had an AD PDC  I would try it out see how well it plays with a linux 
workstation, but most of its features sound like cigwin.

"Gain access to a UNIX environment that runs on top of the Windows 
kernel. With Interix subsystem technology, UNIX application and scripts 
can run natively on the Windows platform alongside Windows applications."

"Work with a broad, familiar, and compatible scripting environment with 
the built-in KornShell and C Shell environments as well as Perl 5.6.0 
compiled under Interix."

"Use more than 300 UNIX utilities and tools (conforming to the IEEE 
1003.2-1992 standard) that work as they would on UNIX systems, including 
/awk, grep, sed, tr, cut, tar, cpio,/ and many others."

Except for,"Easily implement password synchronization on platforms not 
included with the Windows Services for UNIX 3.5 distribution", Cigwin 
should give us the most the same opportunities  as SFU.

Eric