Isaac Sparrow wrote:
> 
> <snip>
> > I won't join in the thought that their software stinks -
> > it doesn't - there are some excellent features and they do keep
> > improving it and they usually work backwards and actually implement base
> > features by the second or third update/service release/service pack.
> </snip>
> 
> I'm sorry. I know for a fact that MS software stinks. Sure there might be
> some individual applications from MS that run fine, but as a whole their
> software stinks. By software I also include the operating system.
> 
> Some examples:
> 
> The operating system (Win XP) sometimes refuses to recognize the usb mouse
> when starting the system. Never happens on my linux box.
> 
> Win XP reboots the machine out of the blue (who knows why). My Linux box
> never does that...
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You can't seriously expect Windows XP to be stable - it's not even had a
service pack to fix the bugs yet. Win2K SP1 or SP2 are stable.
--------
> 
> Internet Explorer is a security risk (can't be denied).
--------
all browsers are security risks. IE has more people looking at it for
vulnerabilities. All in all, it's a decent browser and the best at XML
--------
> 
> IIS is a security risk (can't be denied). My apache logs during the last
> NIMDA outbreak were full of attempted IIS exploits. Sure you can get a patch
> from MS, but will it break IIS all together? There first patch for NIMDA did
> just that.
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agreed
--------
> 
> Outlook - need I say anything about this one?
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Outlook is far and away the best email client on any platform. Have to
install the email attachment security patch to keep it from
auto-executing attachments though. It's lightening fast - stable -
capable of imap/pop/imaps/pop3s certificates, ldap, html, and on and on.
Nothing else comes close and I have used a ton of programs and I
personally have broken the MS habit and simply use Netscape on linux but
that's not because it's better.
--------
> 
> I run Win95/98/NT4/2000/XP in the shop here for testing purposes. When it
> comes to real work I write code on my linux boxes and run servers on Solaris.
> 
> Speaking of software. Win2k copied their tcp/ip stack code from BSD. So that
> is an example of good software.
> 
> As for me, I will not pay money to Microsoft to be their alpha/beta tester.
> 
> Just my 2 cents worth :)
-----------
Hey, I won't beta test Microsoft software for free - definitely would
not pay to do that.

Windows 2000 Professional is rock solid. Windows 2000 server is kind of
awesome with dynamic dns, and ability to speak to *nix, Macintosh,
Novell, roaming profiles, terminal server, etc. but that doesn't always
justify the cost. That also doesn't mean that I haven't retired fully
licensed WinNT 4.0 servers and installed Linux in it's stead...I've
actually done that twice in the past 3 months.

Funny thing is - if there were a decent GUI mail client for linux - I
would say that linux rules not only servers but also desktop
environment.

Craig