Return to BSD News archive
Path: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au!newshost.anu.edu.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!nntp.coast.net!news.kei.com!newsfeed.internetmci.com!in1.uu.net!news.voicenet.com!news From: 900RR (900RR) Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc Subject: Re: BSDI vs Win NT and netscape commerce server Date: Thu, 14 Dec 1995 09:56:09 GMT Organization: Voicenet - Internet Access - (215)674-9290 Lines: 48 Message-ID: <4aoi41$p4r@news.voicenet.com> References: <4aku63$4bd@news.nstn.ca> NNTP-Posting-Host: philly36.voicenet.com X-Newsreader: Forte Free Agent v0.55 jwebster@fox.nstn.ca (jwebster) wrote: >I have a question. I am setting up a commernce server and will most >likly be useing the netscape commernce server. A friend of mine >recommended going with BSDI Unix and another friend recommended Win NT. both recommendations are "right" for today. However, the decision you make should be based on the following: 1) device support, and stability if you're trying to build high-end stuff, with exotic hardware (like those sexy SMP boards with 4 P5 chips) then Windows NT is the ONLY way to go. NT's had SMP support for years. The BSD camps are STILL working on it. also, new hardware boards like PCI 100Mbps ethernet cards, are going to be supported under NT well before they will be supported in any unix. Maybe not in ALL cases. But if the OEM is writing the driver code, you can bet the farm that the focus and effort will be on the NT support first, everyone else a (quite distant) second. if a unix vendor works on the driver support, then they might beat NT out the door (still unlikely since vendor's work will begin LONG before the peripheral ships) but you run the risk of a less robust implementation since the unix vendor may not have nearly as much knowledge about the board. It's simply a matter of economics, not religion, when it comes to rolling out innovative hardware designs. 2) cost of software licenses look at the prices for WWW server software for an example of the fleecing sw houses commit on unix shops. NT versions are hundreds to thousands of dollars less in some cases, and available now. With the unix camp, you pays your money and takes your chances. And hope that they've gotten around to porting to your box. Lots of other sw categories fall into this category. there's no figuring it out... CB