M$ Cannot Manage Their Own IT. Why Let Them Run Yours? at Robert Pogson

M$ has repeatedly had server failures affecting their global business. The latest is a prolonged down-time for Volume Licensing Service Center. Is their system too complex for anyone to keep it running? Why share their pain? Use GNU/Linux. At least, with GNU/Linux, if something breaks, you can fix it. The licence allows you to run as many copies as you want, examine the code, modify the code and distribute it under the same terms.

Last year, I worked at a place that was heavily invested in that other OS and would not switch. This year, I work at a place where things working is valued more than loyalty to M$. It is a refreshing change that allows me to sleep soundly. Last year, I had several major problems with that other OS. I had “critical” updates that just had to be done for all web-connected machines and try as I might I could not get all of them to update on cue. Randomly some would update and others would not. It usually took me three days to update clients and I had to update servers when they were not needed by the system on my time. Of course, many re-re-reboots were required and often a server would require me to respond via keyboard to some nonsense during the boot process. It was very frustrating. This year, most updates of Debian GNU/Linux can be done on demand in seconds with rare re-boots. I need far fewer servers to do the job, too. Last year, I needed 7 servers just to run one school. This year, I think one is enough but I have two so I can play with different releases and provide thin client services in the lab. I spend my time creating new services on my LAN instead of maintaining that other OS as a full-time job.

What we need in IT are simple, modular systems that we can build without disrupting our whole system. With malware, re-re-reboots, broken updates, EULA from Hell that restricts us from doing all kinds of reasonable things with software and hardware, high costs of licensing and maintenance, and sluggish service, that other OS is a burden, not a blessing. With Debian GNU/Linux we get all our hardware and software resources working for us, getting the job done.

My Mission

My observations and opinions about IT are based on 40 years of use in science and technology and lately, in education. I like IT that is fast, cost-effective and reliable. I do not care whether my solution is the same as yours. I like to think for myself.

My first use of GNU/Linux in 2001 was so remarkably better than what I had been using, I feel it is important work to share GNU/Linux with the world. I have been blessed by working in schools where students and school systems have benefited by good, modular software easily installed in most systems.

I have shown GNU/Linux to thousands of students and hundreds of teachers over the years and will continue in some way doing that until I die in spite of the opposition.