Microsoft's New Linux-Based Wireless Network 286
MECC points to an article about Microsoft's new wireless network. From the article "The next time Bill Gates sends an e-mail through Microsoft's shiny new Wireless LAN it will be passed through a behind-the-scenes Linux-based network appliance." Microsoft has partnered with Aruba Networks for a large corporate wireless LAN deployment, involving 277 buildings and 5000 access points, 'all Linux based.'"
wait (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:wait (Score:3, Funny)
Re:wait (Score:3, Interesting)
-- The voice of experience
Re:wait (Score:5, Funny)
The current hurdle is getting the HD space to store the UPnP Aero interface.
Re:wait (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:wait (Score:4, Insightful)
Just guessing...
(and no, the extra cost for an MS solution isn't in licensing their own tech... it is all about maintenance and support)
Re:wait (Score:2, Insightful)
According to MS get the facts, their products are cheaper. So that reasoning doesn't hold water.
Re:wait (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:wait (Score:3, Insightful)
Would there be a headline saying "CEO of United Airlines chooses El Al for flights to Israel?" No, there wouldn't. So what's the big deal?
MS has its place, just like linux does. Can't we all just get alon
Re:wait (Score:5, Insightful)
Its a big deal because the CEO of United Airlines did not run a marketing FUD campaign to discredit El Al, nor did he hire scum like Bill Hilf to spew the same FUD in the media, nor did he use another airline to sue El Al on bogus patent dispute grounds. You get the picture.
Re:wait (Score:2)
Indeed it is.
Are you sure? (Yes / No / PutYourFootInYourMouth)
Um... no, not really. We're too childish for that.
Besides, I don't think we should all just get along. That doesn't encourage competition.
Re:wait (Score:2)
Bad analogy. (Score:2)
Re:Bad analogy. (Score:4, Insightful)
We used to laugh about that, but I guess their stock troubles of the last 6 years are no surprise, given that sort of internal mess.
A lot of posts miss the point (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:wait (Score:4, Interesting)
their product is superior to everything everywhere,
and it is ready to do everything, yeah.
If Microsoft historically was saying "Our OS
is good, and getting better all the time,
and here are some succes stories", they would
not be so open to criticism on this point.
( I am sure there would be some anyway, but... )
Yes, Microsoft has it's place and strengths,
just like everything else out there.
Re:wait (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:wait (Score:3, Insightful)
Sort of discredits that burger joint and makes them seem like a bunch of liars/hypocrites.
Re:wait (Score:3, Funny)
Re:wait (Score:2)
Re:wait (Score:3, Informative)
When it comes to electronic devices such as dvd players, routers, WAP's/etc most people do not care what is under the hood, if it does it's job and does it well then that is all that maters as is the case here.
Re:wait (Score:5, Informative)
But yes, IBM was hated but for total different reasons than MS is. Take a look at the history of Amdahl to see how the HW area was and then look at IBM's pricing back in thiose days. The first laser printer I worked with was rented from IBM for approx $15000/month and we managed to burn 3 of them down to the ground. Oh and they were huge! IBM was a financial vaccum cleaner, people wanted alternatives, IBM didn't.
Re:wait (Score:4, Funny)
You forgot to explain "bundling" to him...
An interesting comparison here [pgts.com.au].
Re:wait (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:wait (Score:3, Insightful)
IBM is a hardware company, Microsoft is a software company. There's really no comparison, MS will never embrace and extend open source a fraction of the way IBM has.
Re:wait (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:wait (Score:2, Interesting)
Perhaps it's their real strategy... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Perhaps it's their real strategy... (Score:3, Insightful)
Not everything has to be a conspiracy, especially if there are some sane people running that company.
Re:Perhaps it's their real strategy... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Perhaps it's their real strategy... (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Perhaps it's their real strategy... (Score:4, Informative)
And Microsoft has been doing this for years.
Ratboy.
Re:Perhaps it's their real strategy... (Score:2, Insightful)
This "it runs Linux OMG!!1!!11" shit is just meant to ruffle the feathers of people like the Linux zealots or MS haters on
I'm not going to make analogies, come up with metaphors, or anything. Why anyone thinks MS should disregard a stable, capable wireless solution because it runs embedded Linux is such a political waste of time it hurts my head.
Re:Perhaps it's their real strategy... (Score:2)
I just posted facts. Do you wish to deny them? Or do you want to go off frothing at the keyboard with another ad hominem attack?
Indeed, the facts are that I am platform agnostic. I do find the head butting to be amusing, though, and I *never* think politics are a waste of effort. I do support Linux, but my ONLY public statement has been "If you need Linux, you will know why and when".
I als
Re:Perhaps it's their real strategy... (Score:5, Informative)
http://www.californiacomputer.com/Shop/product.as
google for "Microsoft router"
"Microsoft 54G Wireless Base Station
Includes a 4-port 10/100 Ethernet switch 802.11g technology, transfer data up to 54Mbps Smart Windows CE-powered expandable platform Interoperable with 2.4GHz wireless frequency (11 Mbps and 54 Mbps) Backwards compatible Built-in firewall protection 256-bit Wi-Fi protected access"
So, as you can see, not only is it a Microsoft branded wireless router; it is based on Windows/CE.
That covers both of my points.
Ratboy
Re:Perhaps it's their real strategy... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Perhaps it's their real strategy... (Score:2)
This could be related to their recent out reach to the Linux community. Maybe it's how they'll generate their Linux expertise to be effective in that effort?
But this does hurt them on their message they've been sending about true cost of ownership.
Good thing (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Perhaps it's their real strategy... (Score:2)
First they ignore you, then they cover you with FUD, then they use you. Then they pay lawmakers to cut you out of the market, then they win. Greedy @#!*
Irony? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Irony? (Score:2, Interesting)
My head asplode from the irony...
What irony? It would be irony if they were using Linux where Windows competes, such on the desktop or for servers. As far as I know, there is no Windows embedded (Windows seems attached to having a GUI). And while Microsoft does make a lot of software, it has specialised in a few areas (that's a facet of efficiency/capitalism). Since they don't make a similar product, it's just a matter of using the best tool for the job here, and it happens to be Linux.
On a side note,
Re:Irony? (Score:2)
I always thought it was when you made a ferriciously bad pun...
Re:Irony? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Irony? (Score:2)
Re:Irony? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Irony? (Score:2)
Re:Irony? (Score:2)
I'm amazed that I'm the first to say: LOL OMG WTF!
I have no other words which could convey what I think about this.
The right tool for the job. (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:The right tool for the job. (Score:2, Insightful)
Excepting for artificial compatablity barriers (namely vendorlock), the Microsoft option is the WORST option available across the board (with the possible exception of BASIC and C compilers). If Microsoft were to apply this principle universally, they and all of their customers would have to suddenly trade in their PC's for Macintoshes.
Yeah (Score:2)
Trouble with what? That Microsoft is comming out with a Linux disto? :)
History says otherwise (Score:5, Interesting)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2000/08/01/ms_hotmai
The point is lost on you (Score:4, Insightful)
Linux doesn't have to be better (Score:2)
You can get Linux a screensaver for Windows here [linuxtracker.org]
SuSE 10.1, nothing but the newest.
Re:Linux doesn't have to be better (Score:2)
What the hell does THAT mean? In english, it means that you can get a "screensaver for Windows" to give to Linux. I'm pretty sure that's not what you mean to say. Do you mean "linux as a screensaver for Windows"? And if so, what good is that?
Visionary (Score:5, Funny)
And for the tin-foil-hat crowd... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:And for the tin-foil-hat crowd... (Score:2)
Re:And for the tin-foil-hat crowd... (Score:2)
Re:And for the tin-foil-hat crowd... (Score:2)
What choice do they have (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:What choice do they have (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:What choice do they have (Score:2)
As someone else has pointed out there's a "Windows Embedded" product which is supposedly capable of acting as a wireless access point: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/embedded/default
You don't need "a full blown box sitting there wasting space and resources." It's for small devices.
Re:What choice do they have (Score:2)
Re:What choice do they have (Score:5, Informative)
Re:What choice do they have (Score:3, Interesting)
How long will Microsoft support NT/embedded? What if you developed something on that, and YOUR product becomes vulnerable, and you can't ask for support? The problem with integrating a 'closed' operating system in hardware is this: Hardware has a much longer lifespan than most corporates (including Microsoft) would like to support.
It doesn't make long-term business sense for an appliance-devleoper to use Microsoft products... or indeed any closed sourc
Does it really matter what it runs ? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Does it really matter what it runs ? (Score:5, Insightful)
Microsoft continually harps on "TCO" issues (Windows vs. Linux). Are you then claiming that the "TCO" for Windows/CE is higher than Linux?
And, just a final question: What Microsoft competitor are you talking about?
Ratboy
Re:Does it really matter what it runs ? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Does it really matter what it runs ? (Score:2)
I don't believe that is even remotely true [wikipedia.org], or wise for that matter.
Re:Does it really matter what it runs ? (Score:5, Interesting)
Outdated (Score:4, Informative)
That said we didn't go with Aruba, mostly because their pricing was pretty Microsoft-esque. In other words, worse than a prison shower.
I'm confused (Score:5, Funny)
"The power of Microsoft brought to you by Linux." ???
Sheesh (Score:3, Insightful)
Is the average Linux advocate really this pathetic and sad? Microsoft buys a bunch of freaking wireless appliances that happen to use Linux, and this warrants a big freaking article? I bet the Cisco routers they're replacing don't use Windows, either. Is Microsoft supposed to have a "WINDOWS ONLY LOL ROXR" policy on any electronic device down the copy machines?
I bet they might have a coffee machine that uses embedded Linux as well. Maybe LinuxWorld needs to send in a few spies to rat it out.
Ballmer banned iPods + Google: why not? (Score:5, Insightful)
Ballmer doesn't let his kids use Google or iPods [cnn.com]. I don't find it so farfetched that Microsoft might have at least a slight bias towards wanting their employees to use their own products, both as a matter of company pride and as a matter of "dog food"--the more people in the company who use a product, the more bugs get squashed before the product gets released.
Re:Ballmer banned iPods + Google: why not? (Score:2)
Re:Sheesh (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Sheesh (Score:3, Interesting)
It is really hard to sell your microsoft proxy servers when the customer asks, "Why don't you use them?"
I just spent the last 6 weeks helping a company fix a problem (we told them at the start it was their microsoft proxy servers or their configuration but they wanted to eliminate every other possibility first). In the end, they swapped in a linux server and the problems they were having stopped right away.
What was
Re:Sheesh (Score:2)
Wait until it's duped...
Re:Sheesh (Score:5, Insightful)
If nothing else, it's funny. It's like an environmentalist ranting and raving about SUVs driving the environment until someone points out, "dude, you're driving a Hummer."
Essentially, Microsoft's rhetoric HAS been "windows only lol r0xr." Now they have to eat a little crow.
Re:Sheesh (Score:2)
Re:Sheesh (Score:2)
Let's recap:
Microsoft: Windows is the be-all and end-all of operating systems. It will obsolete everything else. It is a better Unix than Unix. Blah, blah, blah.
(Linux enters the market and does Unixy stuff way better than Windows)
Microsoft: Linux is no threat to us. Penguins are committing suicide at our Gates (pun intended). Linux has no chance on the desktop, it's usage is dimi
Re:Sheesh (Score:4, Insightful)
Anytime a big company uses Linux in a large installation, that is news. Embedded Linux is something most geeks here don't get to play with that much, so this is news. The fact that a company that is fighting tooth and nail against open source uses open source, that is also news.
Your ridiculous strawman, slippery slope, and ad hominem arguments only highlight the growing panic amongst luser admins who have staked their careers on a steaming pile of crap.
First Hand Intelligence is best (Score:2)
To see what happens in a large scale corporation when you deploy a product you have to actually deploy it in a large scale. They already know what their tools do and what the pains and plusses are. They really don't have any first hand experience with the competition other than tests and s
I've seen this before.... (Score:2, Funny)
http://www.penguincomputing.com/images/stories/Tu
The next time (Score:2)
So what? Microsoft doesn't care a damn what's running inside.
I mean, give'em a break. FUD could be both ways.
Next year... (Score:2)
obvious (Score:2, Insightful)
Firefox (Score:2, Interesting)
What a sad joke.
Re:Firefox (Score:2)
Now, if he used *IE*, or mozilla.org was "Optimized for Internet Explorer", *that* would be news.
Slow News Day (Score:3, Insightful)
What for? (Score:4, Interesting)
SO my question is, if they already have a wireless network, and I know they do...why are they installing another one? Or is it really that they are UPGRADING the existing one...???
Either way, this would make the 2nd Linux installation that I know of over at MS...they have (or had) a set of servers over in building 43 that contained, "sensitive, critical data" that they couldn't (wouldn't??) trust to Windows Server...
Wait, I'm confused ... (Score:4, Funny)
I can just see Linus' avatar now
Re:Wait, I'm confused ... (Score:2)
Holy smokes, Bullwinkle! (Score:5, Insightful)
-h-
changing minds (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Uninteresting (Score:3, Funny)
There, is that better?
Re:Ok, wait one minute - (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Not the first time . . . (Score:2)
Re:Why? ;-) (Score:2)
bits of the back end may be handy, if you are for example, sharing digital media from your Windows PC to your XBox 360, but that should all be handled by QoS features of the network.
But yeah, only MS can kill MS, like a
Re:Why? ;-) (Score:2)