Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 09:49:53 -0700 (PDT) From: Philip Hallstrom <philip@adhesivemedia.com> To: Stanley Hopcroft <Stanley.Hopcroft@IPAustralia.gov.au> Cc: <FreeBSD-Questions@FreeBSD.ORG> Subject: Re: How does FreeBSD make a difference in a government context ? Message-ID: <20010920094524.F93925-100000@teak.adhesivemedia.com> In-Reply-To: <20010920101628.B5729@IPAustralia.Gov.AU>
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This has been a pretty interesting discussion... I manage a very small company (7 people) and we use FreeBSD for every server application and coworkers are pretty open to opensource stuff... with the exception of Outlook... Even though I've built a web-based calendar/todo application that they can access from *anywhere* they still want Outlook because they use the calendar/todo features and it's installed and it's easier. blah blah blah... Yesterday I finally made the decision that outlook is on it's way out. Seems like the only way to get really infected with a virus/worm is to use IIS and/or Outlook. And of course they didn't really want to... until I explained that so far these virii/worms haven't done anything *really* malicous like see what networks shares are mounted and then delete everything on them, etc... which would mean I'd have to backup from tape, and rebuilt their machine which means they wouldn't be able to work for awhile (which you'd think would be a good thing, but it isnt' :) At that point they all realize it's worth a little hassle to avoid it... However, this is the only group of people I've been able to convince... at the last place I worked I couldn't convince them to use PHP over StoryServer, but hey, what's $500,000 here and $500,000 there... *sigh* good luck! -philip On Thu, 20 Sep 2001, Stanley Hopcroft wrote: > > Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, > > I am writing to ask your advice about demonstrating the value of FreeBSD > servers (DDNS, DHCP, routers, Samba) in a 'public service'/'Government > context'. > > If this organsiation is typical of 'government' operations then those > operations are characterised by > > 1. dominating personalities driven by self interest. Often stupid, cruel > and vindictive. The major visbile aspects of personality seem to me to > be complete cluelessness about computing, sycophancy, and lack of > integrity. > > They select people on the basis of their compliancy. The love > consultancies/contracts because that makes the consultant beholden to > them. > > 2. predominant use of MS 'operating systems' in 'file-servers' and > desktop but Solaris, AIX etc for 'mission critical' applications > > 3. inhouse application development with MS tools or with an MS centric > attitude > > 4. apart from talk, absolutely __no__ regard for budget or cost. Waste > is not a problem for government; efficiency means buying shrink wrapped > product. > > Replacing a FreeBSD service on a 486/P90 with MS NT/2000 on a > PIII 1GHz, is viewed as 'an efficiency' (replacing a box bound to fail) > > Characteristic 1 suggests to me that any installation depending on > FreeBSD services is vulnerable to a so called 'manager' 'deciding' to > replace FreeBSD services by MS based ones. > > This can be claimed as an efficiency because clerks can manage NT > services (eg DHCP fixed address, DNS changes with the GUI) and > <management_voice> > "Microsoft technology is the way of the future"</managemen_voice> > > > Please can you let me know how I can defend myself by arguing the > quantifiable benefits of FreeBSD infrastructure ? > > Code Red may be part of the answer since (???) IIS is built into MS Win > 2000. > > Thank you, > > Yours sincerely > > -- > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Stanley Hopcroft IP Australia > Network Specialist > +61 2 6283 3189 +61 2 6281 1353 (FAX) Stanley.Hopcroft@IPAustralia.Gov.AU > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > A year spent in artificial intelligence is enough to make one believe > in God. > > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org > with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
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