Why Open Source?
In Fast Forward: "The Hazards of Closed-Process Development" (February 2003, http://www.winnetmag.com, InstantDoc ID 37586), Mark Smith asserts that Microsoft is losing customers to Linux because Microsoft hasn't gone to an open-source model. Maybe some customers are defecting. But open source is, I think, the least likely reason. Most people who implement Linux simply despise Microsoft for one reason or another. Some people have been with Linux for quite some time. As for those who are adopting Linux later in life, the reason might simply be cost.
The concept of open source is not something that most IT shops are up in arms about. Most organizations are more concerned about security, stability, and cost. Mark uses as an example the need for Microsoft to make the wizard development process more open. I don't know too many Linux administrators who use wizards. In fact, the UI is one of the primary reasons they stay away from Windows. I suppose an API for creating wizards would be nice. I'm not so sure that an entire open-source OS would help most developers create wizards of their own.
Why should Microsoft make its OSs open source? Doesn't it have enough trouble with security holes without unscrupulous individuals probing Windows' innards? Besides, what other vendor has been as helpful to its community of software developers? Microsoft's bread-and-butter to this day is the large number of applications available. If the company were that closed with its OS, where would it be today?
Who really wants open source in the Microsoft OS anyway? Linux developers have been working very hard to achieve an emulation environment that would let all Windows applications run under Linux natively (that is, without VMware running an entire Windows OS). Wouldn't an open-source Windows eliminate the legal and technical barriers to such development? What organization wouldn't jump ship to Linux if they could run all of their current applications under a free (or nearly so) OS?
Mark mentions that open source makes getting improvements into the product easier. On the horizon is a new collaboration of Linux vendors called UnitedLinux (The SCO Group, Conectiva , SuSE Linux, and Turbolinux). How will they agree on the improvements to be adopted across all of their Linux flavors? Will that collaboration slow the development process? It remains to be seen but probably means a better OS in the end.
Linux is growing on me every day—much as Windows NT grew on me during Novell's glory days. Linux is gaining ground in the server arena and will gain more in the desktop realm after Linux has more of the "wizard" feel of the Microsoft OS. What's ironic is how much the Linux OS is striving to be like Windows. If Linux has learned anything from Windows, it's that imitation remains the greatest form of flattery.
—Mark Morgan
markmag@cyberjunk.com
USB Trick
I am a fan of your Tricks & Traps section and wanted to share my experience with USB 2.0, which relates to "Ask Dr. Bob" (February 2003, http://www.winnetmag.com, InstantDoc ID 37632). The author mentions that Windows XP doesn't have native support for USB 2.0 and advises you to find out whether the adapter vendor has a driver. You can easily install a generic USB 2.0 driver from Windows Update. The Update file isn't big, and you can successfully install it even with 28.8Kbps Internet access.
—Harry Tan
htan@timberland.com
A Security Ingredient to Prevent SID Problems
Chris Wolf's article "A VMware Clustering Recipe" (February 2003, http://www.win
netmag.com, InstantDoc ID 37599) was excellent. At my company, we use VMware GSX servers and VMware workstations to model new infrastructure, support Microsoft .NET development, and provide systems for quality assurance testing and sales demos. The author's "recipe" might be missing an ingredient, however. Chris recommends simply copying the contents of the first virtual machine (VM—VM1) to create the second (VM2). This approach will certainly work, but our testing has shown that it typically results in Windows SID problems because both servers are essentially identical copies of each other. Changing the system name and IP address doesn't change the underlying SID. However, an ingredient is easily available that will fix this problem. After you've completed the initial VM1 configuration, run Microsoft's Sysprep utility (available at http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/downloads/tools/sysprep/default.asp) to remove the unique identifying characteristics of the system. Next, make a backup of the Windows 2000 configuration that you used Sysprep on, and use it as the foundation for all future Win2K Serverbased VM work. Then, copy the configuration into the directory for VM2 to create the second VM. Finally, after you power on both VM1 and VM2 machines, Windows will generate unique SIDs for each system. Note that Windows will prompt you to name each system and provide network configuration details during the first boot after using Sysprep—just as if you had purchased "real" servers with the OS preinstalled by the manufacturer. This extra step should prevent potential SID problems.
—Mark F. Ewert
mewert@ihcis.com
Virtual Machines in Depth
I'm astounded by the depth of the problem and the solution in Chris Wolf's "A VMware Clustering Recipe" (February 2003, http://www.winnetmag.com, InstantDoc ID 37599). I've been trying to set up virtual machines (VMs) and had given up until I came across this article. Great job by the author, and thanks to the magazine for publishing such an in-depth and technical piece. I would love to see more of these kinds of articles.
—Senthil Prabakaran
senthilp@fullarmor.com
Keeping the Good Stuff
I just read Michael Otey's Editorial: "Taking Out Your E-Garbage" (February 2003, http://www.winnetmag.com, InstantDoc ID 37611). I've been administering networks and email for 15 years; spam is an ever-growing problem. My company uses Gordano's NTMail to filter messages by content and redirect messages by mail clause, which helps control spam but doesn't completely solve the problem. I've been trying to get my users to adopt a concept that I dreamed up the other month. I call it positive filtering. Basically the concept is that you treat email like the snail mail you receive at home and work. You scan through mail to see whether it looks important or whether it's just another credit-card application form. You trash without opening any mail that isn't obviously important.
Email positive filtering works in a similar way, and you have two disposal methods. You set up a filter within the email client to put email sent directly to you (i.e., email that has your email address in the To field) in a folder called something like "My Real Mail." Everything else stays in the Inbox, and you review or delete that email whenever you want to.
—Paul Messer
paul.messer@tandf.co.uk
OOPS
In the Buyer's Guide: "KVM over IP Solutions" (February 2003, http://www.winnetmag.com, InstantDoc ID 37595) we inadvertently omitted two vendors: Rose Electronics (281-933-7673, http://www.rose.com) and Belkin (800-223-5546, http://www.belkin.com). We regret any inconvenience these omissions might have caused.
It's Our 100th Issue!
You're holding the 100th issue of Windows & .NET Magazine. Much has changed since our first issue in September 1995—including the magazine's name (twice!). Our mission when we started the magazine was to provide hands-on, how-to information that solves real-world problems to help Windows administrators do their job. In this issue, a few of our longest-running authors reflect on how the computer industry, and particularly the Windows OS, have changed in the past 8 years. Look for the articles with the "100th Issues" logo in the table of contents.
Also, as a special 100th-issue celebration, we're giving away five 1-year subscriptions to Windows & .NET Magazine. How do you win? Just take a short quiz that tests your knowledge of Windows & .NET Magazine (having back issues at hand will help). We'll draw five winners from the pool of readers who answer all the questions correctly. To access the quiz, go to http://www.winnetmag.com/magazine and click "Take the 100th Issue Trivia Quiz." Thanks for reading Windows & .NET Magazine—and enjoy the 100th issue.
—Janet Robbins, Editor in Chief
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