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Thread: We shouldn't pay for Windows?

  1. #1
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    We shouldn't pay for Windows?

    We have (at work) some 10 users who are only required to enter data using a web-based application (intranet). They run no other PC application, no Office software, not at all.

    Currently their PC's run under Windows 98. My boss wants to upgrade these PC to have WindowsXp. I am not sure what their the motives are. Perhaps they anticipate Windows9x won't be receiving support by MS sooner or later.

    My thought is, shouldn't we need to pay for that? Is this a good idea to install Linux for these pc instead? That at least saves the company on Licence fee, isn't it?

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    Extreme Member! BipolarBill's Avatar
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    If they are concerned about a lack of support, why on earth would they buy Linux? It has almost *no* support right out of the box.

    If I were running a company, I would pay for a Windows upgrade if only because of the tremendous amount of information available on the Internet.
    MS MCP, MCSE

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    Stark Raving MOD Midknyte's Avatar
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    linux is NOT a good idea for corporate desktops IMHO. we looked into that and the learning curve for the users is just too high. people have a certain comfort level and lay people (secretaries, accountants, etc) don't like change.

    You might as well consider getting new computers with the winxp license already. your old systems may not run winxp at an acceptable level.

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    Hail to the Victors dajogejr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jfchui

    Currently their PC's run under Windows 98. My boss wants to upgrade these PC to have WindowsXp. I am not sure what their the motives are. Perhaps they anticipate Windows9x won't be receiving support by MS sooner or later.

    Mainstream support stopped for 9X and ME in 2003....self help and paid support will be available for a while longer...

    I'm assuming that with only 10 users, they are not on a domain.
    New PCs with Windows XP Home can be had for around 500 bucks, including new keyboards, monitors, a mouse and speakers.

    The security and stability alone from upgrading to an NT based OS is worth the price...let alone newer faster stuff.


    Even though they're using an Intranet based app, you still need to be up on patches, antivirus security and network security...just to be safe.

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    Member rusty4x4's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jfchui
    We have (at work) some 10 users who are only required to enter data using a web-based application (intranet). They run no other PC application, no Office software, not at all.

    Currently their PC's run under Windows 98. My boss wants to upgrade these PC to have WindowsXp. I am not sure what their the motives are. Perhaps they anticipate Windows9x won't be receiving support by MS sooner or later.

    My thought is, shouldn't we need to pay for that? Is this a good idea to install Linux for these pc instead? That at least saves the company on Licence fee, isn't it?
    Hmm. I guess it should also depend on how tight your company's budget is. It also sounds like if the activity is data entry, there is probably a database in play, which might be MS-based (IIS). If the cost of 10 licensed XP boxes is not prohibitive, then XP is the simplest out-of-the-box solution for your existing architecture.

    On the other hand, if budget is a concern, AND if someone in charge is thinking of getting away from the MS vendor lock, there are several Linux distributions (Red Hat, Mandrake) that work very well on enterprise networks. And the software that comes with them is fairly simple to use... I think it's a "get usedta" kind of thing myself, and the KDE environment is... beautiful... the best way I can describe it.

    I have a box running Mandrake 9.2 (CS:S game server- w00t!), one with Slackware 10 (programming and numerical methods lab), and one with the e-Smith server distribution (where I mirror 'My Documents', ironically), and they get along just fine with my four XP boxen on the LinNeighborhood (aka My Network Places).

    But for your company, there would probably be the issue of the underlying database that would need to be addressed (migration to something like MySQL). Also, it would be critical that there be at least one Linux-fluent person on staff for maintenance, security, etc.

    I hope this helps you think of some of the pros and cons of switching.

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    Stark Raving MOD Midknyte's Avatar
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    a LOT of web apps are based on IE, VB Script, .NET, etc. so going to Linux could mean reprogramming in Java.

    you say that you only use an internet app now, but who's to say what will happen 6 months, a year from now? you could be looking at an app that only runs on windows with no platform for you to run it on. OR you would have to write your own program for it.

    Going to linux on the desktop is penny wise pound foolish. you would save on the licenses, but pay it back many times over with your support man-hours. Installing linux is pretty simple, but knowing how to troubleshoot and fix it is a different story. Unless you have a lot of power users, you will find the transition for the employees much harsher than going to XP. I have users that barely know how to turn on the computer. sad but true.

    As stated before, unless you have a linux guru on staff, you are asking for some serious support headaches. The linux community is relatively small compared to MS, so finding help may be difficult.

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    Mod w/ an attitude Sterling_Aug's Avatar
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    How can anyone be upset about paying $2000 for ten XP licenses?

    Who is running that company, a miser?

    I would rather have them pay $2000 than to have to stay late every night fixing up all of the mistakes caused by users that do not understand Linux.

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    Member rusty4x4's Avatar
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    Serious support headaches?! Bah! There's always Slashdot!

    ... I keeed! I keeed!


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    Senior Member mcool61's Avatar
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    If 98 is working & there is no compelling reason other than upgrade fever I'd keep using it, but then i'm a cheapskate.

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    Quote Originally Posted by dajogejr
    Mainstream support stopped for 9X and ME in 2003....self help and paid support will be available for a while longer...

    I'm assuming that with only 10 users, they are not on a domain.
    New PCs with Windows XP Home can be had for around 500 bucks, including new keyboards, monitors, a mouse and speakers.

    The security and stability alone from upgrading to an NT based OS is worth the price...let alone newer faster stuff.


    Even though they're using an Intranet based app, you still need to be up on patches, antivirus security and network security...just to be safe.
    I was made to think patches, antivirus, security are seldomly required for boxes with Linux. Bad people tend to target Windows units, the larger community. If patches are of equally importance for Linux box, yes, re-thinking with the lack of Linux Guru is required.

    No, these 10 users (doing only data-entries updating a database at the backend) are only part of the company that has over hundreds of users in a Domain running Windows OS. At present they are not in the Domain because it is not needed. The web-based application is Cold-fusion based.

    I will opt to maintain running XP to replace Win9x then, after reading this. Thank you all for the interest with this post.

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    Member buttonpusher69's Avatar
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    In as such other members have pointed to the need to upgrade to new software (the OS) by staying with a windows product.

    Only one person as addressed the need to upgrade the boxes that the OS will be loaded to. As mentioned earlier in the thread; you should buy new PCs with the OS installed (saves the configuration headaches) and at current prices you can't go wrong there.

    It would be a few dollars more then just buying the OS, but you would have hardware that would work at least with XP or maybe VISTA (when it is made public). Since you are using ColdFusion there will be a small conversion factor (I think) moving from W98 to XP, but I maybe very wrong with that statement.

    Good luck

    Buttonpusher69

  12. #12
    Hail to the Victors dajogejr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jfchui
    I was made to think patches, antivirus, security are seldomly required for boxes with Linux. Bad people tend to target Windows units, the larger community. If patches are of equally importance for Linux box, yes, re-thinking with the lack of Linux Guru is required.

    No, these 10 users (doing only data-entries updating a database at the backend) are only part of the company that has over hundreds of users in a Domain running Windows OS. At present they are not in the Domain because it is not needed. The web-based application is Cold-fusion based.

    I will opt to maintain running XP to replace Win9x then, after reading this. Thank you all for the interest with this post.
    Regardless how often it patches or updates, there is still a learning curve on how to use a Linux OS...
    People break Windows enough and they're familiar with it. Can you imagine how they break it without being familiar with it?
    In comes the Linux Guru.

    In the end....you will find it's easier to upgrade and maintain the mainstream rather than jump ship.

    Like said above, support for Linux is not very great...

    If you wanted to do some research, make a dual boot system or two, put it in the hands with your least two experienced users and see how it fairs....

    That will tell you how it goes...

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