tymiles
May 14th, 2008, 02:18 AM
I know, I know every so often bring up this issue. Not that I can program or develop so I can't really help do this but it drives me nuts that no version of Linux (Other then Xandros Server) has tried to go for the workgroup server/desktop market.
Yes, this is Microsoft's domain. They prob have 90 percent of this market on a bad day. I guess cause I wear glasses I don't see why a Linux company has not tried to get into this market themselves.
What I mean by Workgroup market is MS's bread and butter. Windows XP for the client, Windows 2003 / 2008 server for file sharing, print sharing, AD for identity management, Exchange for email. With Windows its easy as pie to set up a Windows 2003 server with DHCP, DNS and AD then add a bunch of Windows XP machines and have them auth and connect to the Windows server and then share files to the XP machines and also hang a few printers off the server. My 15 year old brother was able to do this in about 20 minutes (Not including the time to install and patch Windows)
Xandros has done a pretty good job at this but 1. They charge too much for a first time (Well now on version 2) server product from an almost unknown company and 2. The desktop product is too clunky. Xandros should lower the price of the server product to slightly over the price of the desktop. And they should make their management and auth tools that are in Xandros pro desktop available for most versions of Linux. 3. They have extra third party pricing for Email, BRU backup server, Helix Streaming Media Server etc. They should limit those prices like MS does in their small business product.
But enough about them, the main reason for this is I don't see why a company like Ubuntu has not gone down this road. I would not even be mad if they came out with a framework that went on top of Ubuntu server (like Xandros bridgeworks) that they would charge for. If in the end I could quickly and reliably do what I can do on Windows. Or better yet what I can do on Mac OS X server I would pay for it so it would get better.
So why do I mention Mac server? Because Apple uses all the software that is available to Ubuntu: Open Ldap, Cups, Samba, Apache etc to make a pretty good workgroup server product. If it was not Mac only and ran on any server, I would choose it over Windows server anyday. I don't know why Apple doesn't make Mac server platform independent. This is the gap that Ubuntu could fit right into.
The funny thing is that Xandros is coming out with their Bridgeworks product soon for most versions of Linux (It's out for Xandros, Red Hat and Oracle / CentOS Enterprise Servers)and I will be able to then take a group of Ubuntu Servers and make them into a workgroup that will work with Linux and Windows. And Xandros will make that money if it's priced right. I think Ubuntu could do better and take that market if they wanted to!
Anyway people let me know what you think. Do you think this is a market for Linux? Is Microsoft just the king of this and everyone else should leave it alone?
Post and let us know what you think!
For you reading:
http://www.xandros.com/products/business/server/overview/managed_community.html
http://www.xandros.com/products/business/server/overview/xmc.html
Yes, this is Microsoft's domain. They prob have 90 percent of this market on a bad day. I guess cause I wear glasses I don't see why a Linux company has not tried to get into this market themselves.
What I mean by Workgroup market is MS's bread and butter. Windows XP for the client, Windows 2003 / 2008 server for file sharing, print sharing, AD for identity management, Exchange for email. With Windows its easy as pie to set up a Windows 2003 server with DHCP, DNS and AD then add a bunch of Windows XP machines and have them auth and connect to the Windows server and then share files to the XP machines and also hang a few printers off the server. My 15 year old brother was able to do this in about 20 minutes (Not including the time to install and patch Windows)
Xandros has done a pretty good job at this but 1. They charge too much for a first time (Well now on version 2) server product from an almost unknown company and 2. The desktop product is too clunky. Xandros should lower the price of the server product to slightly over the price of the desktop. And they should make their management and auth tools that are in Xandros pro desktop available for most versions of Linux. 3. They have extra third party pricing for Email, BRU backup server, Helix Streaming Media Server etc. They should limit those prices like MS does in their small business product.
But enough about them, the main reason for this is I don't see why a company like Ubuntu has not gone down this road. I would not even be mad if they came out with a framework that went on top of Ubuntu server (like Xandros bridgeworks) that they would charge for. If in the end I could quickly and reliably do what I can do on Windows. Or better yet what I can do on Mac OS X server I would pay for it so it would get better.
So why do I mention Mac server? Because Apple uses all the software that is available to Ubuntu: Open Ldap, Cups, Samba, Apache etc to make a pretty good workgroup server product. If it was not Mac only and ran on any server, I would choose it over Windows server anyday. I don't know why Apple doesn't make Mac server platform independent. This is the gap that Ubuntu could fit right into.
The funny thing is that Xandros is coming out with their Bridgeworks product soon for most versions of Linux (It's out for Xandros, Red Hat and Oracle / CentOS Enterprise Servers)and I will be able to then take a group of Ubuntu Servers and make them into a workgroup that will work with Linux and Windows. And Xandros will make that money if it's priced right. I think Ubuntu could do better and take that market if they wanted to!
Anyway people let me know what you think. Do you think this is a market for Linux? Is Microsoft just the king of this and everyone else should leave it alone?
Post and let us know what you think!
For you reading:
http://www.xandros.com/products/business/server/overview/managed_community.html
http://www.xandros.com/products/business/server/overview/xmc.html