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Alternative headline: Cost of Windows servers exceed cost of UNIX servers

By Ted Roche on February 22, 2006 in LAMP, Microsoft, OpenSource, Technology

OSNews reports Windows Bumps Unix as Top Server OS. “Windows narrowly bumped Unix in 2005 to claim the top spot in server sales for the first time, according to a new report from IDC. Computer makers sold $17.7 billion worth of Windows servers worldwide in 2005 compared with $17.5 billion in Unix servers, IDC analyst Matthew Eastwood said of the firm’s latest Server Tracker market share report.”

I guess it’s all in the interpretation, isn’t it?

Note, too, that Linux is broken out as a third-place entry. Combining Linux and UNIX, their $22.8 billion puts Windows to shame. OTOH, you could break it out into Windows 2000, Windows 2003, AIX, HP/UX, Solaris and so forth. It depends on what you’re trying to prove.

Oracle, MySQL, Interbase, Firebird, Ashton-Tate and XENIX, oh my!

By Ted Roche on February 21, 2006 in MySQL, OpenSource, Technology

I’ll try to put together a more comprehensive post later, but wanted to log a series of links I want to revisit. This is a WeB Log after all:

Firebird News: MySQL to adopt Firebird Architecture

MySQL to adopt Firebird architecture

Database Journal: “Oracle’s purchase of InnoDB, their release of Oracle Express, and the effect on MySQL” 9 Nov 2005, By Ian Gilfillan
http://www.databasejournal.com/features/mysql/article.php/3561731

“MySQL’s response to Oracle’s moves:” http://www.greenman.co.za/b2evolution/blogs/index.php?title=mysql_s_response_to_oracle_s_moves&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

“Pressure on MySQL increases as Oracle purchases Sleepycat, with more to come” 15 Fwbruary 2006, By Ian Gilfillan
http://www.databasejournal.com/features/mysql/article.php/3585266

Slashdot’s reaction: http://it.slashdot.org/it/06/02/20/1337227.shtml

Wikipedia’s notes on Jim Starkey, InterBase, and Firebird

Exciting times.

Validate your HTML without leaving FireFox

By Ted Roche on February 2, 2006 in OpenSource, Technology

Found a neat add-on for FireFox that integrates HTML Tidy directly into FireFox. A yellow warning triangle or green checkbox appears in your status bar to let you know how valid the current HTML page is. Clicking on the status bar icon brings up a source code viewer with questionable lines highlighted, and details on the problems in a three-pane view. Another option will generate the Tidy-cleaned page for you. An added benefit is that the code never leaves your machine, handy when you’re dealing with sensitive data or are off the grid. Neat stuff. Mozilla’s secure add-on site is located here.

SeaMonkey 1.0 released

By Ted Roche on February 1, 2006 in OpenSource

OSNews reports SeaMonkey 1.0 Released. “The first end-user release of SeaMonkey is now available. Seamonkey is the continuation of what used to be known as the Mozilla Suite; this release incorporates a number of features that we could get to know from the new releases of Firefox and Thunderbird. However, the integration between the applications is as tight as it has always been, for those who prefer this approach.”

I’m looking forward to checking out the web page editor, as I’ve always found it an easy-to-use tool, although the HTML could use some tightening up. Also, don’t overlook the hidden jem of “Venkman” the JavaScript debugger, with call stacks, stepping, value windows and so forth.

Give Upgrades A Chance

By Ted Roche on January 31, 2006 in LAMP, Linux, OpenSource, Technology

Over at Resigned to the Bittersweet Truth, Bill McGonigle posts Call To Action – Upgrading. “I spoke to Tim Burke, Director Emerging Technologies (including the Linux kernel and Fedora) at RedHat about the state of upgrading this past Tuesday at the GNHLUG meeting in Manchester…”

“So, I issue a challenge to all package maintainers out there who have their projects integrated into distributions like Fedora – give upgrades a chance.”

It’s a tough challenge, but a necessary one. Upgrading is inevitable, and the costs of updating/upgrading are becoming an increasingly important factor in calculating the total costs of owning a system.

Fortune 500 may be liable for millions of postcards…

By Ted Roche on January 19, 2006 in OpenSource, Security, Technology

Now here’s a silly headline: OSNews purports that Linux Users May Be Violating Sarbanes-Oxley. A brief read of the article will tell you that a corporation is likely violating its obligations to its shareholders if it is failing to audit, track, monitor and closely examine the copyright, license and patent requirements of ALL of the products they use. There may be just as much liability from the shareware, freeware, postcardware and every-ware installed willy-nilly inside a company. Developers, consultants, IT personnel and users are notorious for bringing in a little utility from home on floppy, USB tab or download and spreading it around the office. It may be that the Fortune 500 is liable for thousands of postcards for EditPad as well.

The solution is to follow the law, even one as obnoxious as SOX (and complain to your legislator if this is burdensome), with an audit and a compliance plan. The inflamatory headline that “Linux users are bringing chaos to the world” is just insulting. Any company using software needs to do their best to ensure they are not violating copyright, patents or licenses. No news here, move along.

Free Software support for the MacBook lags…

By Ted Roche on January 18, 2006 in Linux, OpenSource, Technology

Cool at the MacBook is, Bill says he’ll be waiting a while before he buys his: Free Software for Intel-based Macs. “I’ve been considering getting a new MacBook Pro – the specs are very nice, it’s a real desktop replacement, and even though there are some weird things like a slower DVD drive and a lower-res screen it would be a good computer… But there’s one thing that’s ruled it out…”
[Resigned to the Bittersweet Truth]

‘Numbers of flaws’ is a flawed measure of security

By Ted Roche on January 11, 2006 in Linux, Microsoft, Security

Garrett Fitzgerald’s Blogs Apples and Oranges. “In a recent post, Craig Berntson trumpets about a recent CERT report that “proves” that Windows is more secure than Linux. What he doesn’t mention is that the “Linux/Unix” list lumps together the Linux kernel, Mac OSX, HPUX, SCO Unixware, and others. So, when comparing 1 OS against 6 or more OSs, the 1 OS comes out ahead. What a surprise.”

Over at Groklaw, the poster does a fine job of pointing out the problems with just quoting the gross numbers from this survey. It would be far better to identify how many security flaws led to major exploits and the costs of the cleanup. Trivial items are counted one-for-one with items that cost millions to clean up, exploits are listed multiple times (on both Windows and non-Windows platforms).

Bottom line: security is a process, not a feature. Millions more computers were turned into spam-sending zombies, and not just because they are running a more commonly-available operating system. They were exploited because the OS runs as an administrator with the rights to alter anything on the machine. Only one OS manufacturer shipped software that has that fatal flaw.

Competing feature sets in WRT-54g firmware

By Ted Roche on January 6, 2006 in Linux, OpenSource, Technology

Recent network problems have had me switching around a couple of Linksys WRT-54g routers. While researching the optimal firmware and feature set, I found this great table comparing WRT-54 firmware on the http://www.linksysinfo.org web site.

Watch out for the WMF exploit!

By Ted Roche on January 2, 2006 in Microsoft, Security, Technology

The Internet Storm Center has set their InfoCon alert to Yellow and is full of information on the recent WMF exploit. They are even promoting a private patch, due to Microsoft’s weak response on this issue. Microsoft has plans to ship a patch with their next regular Tuesday (the 10th) patch. Many of the media are a bit agitated to get a patch out sooner. Let’s see how Microsoft’s evaluation of the threat plays out. If they’re wrong, their customers could spend millions cleaning up the mess. If they’re right, no one will notice. Any change to the bottom line for Microsoft? Time will tell.

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