*BSD News Article 57226


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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
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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