How Linux is keeping Microsoft honest (and why SBS sucks)

By David M Williams
Wednesday, 10 September 2008 19:40

Opinion and Analysis

Imagine a world without Linux. There'd be no cute Tux penguin or any notion of software freedom day. Netbooks would not have come about. But more strikingly, there wouldn't be the modern powerful tools that Windows systems administrators have come to love. That's right; Linux is keeping Microsoft honest and I'm going to expose the new Windows Small Business Server for what it is, along with those who resell it. UPDATE: PART TWO of this article is now available, and explains why consultants recommend SBS.

Imagine there’s no Linux. No doubt you’d still be computing away, but with a less rich collection of tools. If you’re a Linux advocate, your available software repository would be greatly diminished – or, at least, not without significant expenditure or piracy. There may not be any One Laptop Per Child project. The UNIX server operating system may well have died.

For the hard core Windows power user your thoughts may be “so what?” but let me put to you that it is thanks to Linux that Windows admins have the modern developments Microsoft have offered. This has manifested itself in several ways and I will contend here that the most recent occurrence of Linux influence is with the impending release of Microsoft’s Small Business Server (SBS) product.

Let me start with Windows PowerShell. This is a new and powerful scripting language. It supersedes both DOS batch files and VBScript which have been the primary means of quickly stringing together series of commands to automate routine or repetitive tasks for two decades.

This isn’t a new concept; UNIX long relied on shell scripts, the VAX VMS had its DCL command-line processing language, in fact, the first digital computers relied on batched input whether by punch cards or other means. These could be considered forerunners of such scripting languages.

Yet, somewhere along the line, the advent of Windows’ graphical server tools dumbed down the tasks system and network administrators perform. This isn’t to say graphical tools aren’t good – in fact, they’re great. The goal of most IT professionals is to use technology to make workloads easier and to create new opportunities. However, the point is that not everything can be achieved by point-and-click – or, thousands of points-and-clicks can be replaced with a well thought out script.

While scripting remained a tool in the Linux arsenal it was more and more repressed in the Windows world. Sure, you will come across the occasional wise old admin who minds their pfmon.exe’s and qtcp.exe’s but let’s face it, who hasn’t heard the argument over the years that Linux was not ready for prime-time because it was so arcane; it was a system designed for experts by experts. You had to resort to a command prompt to exercise the greatest control. By contrast, it was claimed, Windows was dead simple. Anyone who can operate a mouse can drive it.

Turn to the modern year and Microsoft have rolled out PowerShell. It’s aimed squarely at getting admins back to the command line giving them control and power the GUI apps cannot offer. What’s more, it has a BASH-like syntax and style.

Let me tell you the most remarkable part however!

CONTINUED