Re: Move off Server 2003? you have to be kidding.
I've had similar situations. Solution: Linux + Samba (possibly using an all in one like Zentyal) and create a virtual 32bit environment for the legacy stuff.
27 publicly visible posts • joined 12 Apr 2011
Even sensible Microsoft support techs avoid it, usually suggesting hosted exchange instead.
All this cloud hype needs to just go away!
"To the Cloud" is the cry! Just make sure you have your Umbrella for the predictable torrential rain of outages, lost data or worst of all explaining to the MD that the business can't function because of billing problems. Since the death of Small Business Server Cloud Snake Oil is being promoted without explaining the risks "No Server" they say! so where the hell is the data stored? Maybe at the end of the rainbow with the Pot of Gold :)
I'm hoping that this LTS version isn't infested with systemd dependencies or at least can provide a base that isn't.
I like Linux Mint and upgraded to 16 recently, however systemd & pulseaudio make for a more complex less stable system the direction of which are dictated by Red Hat not where I want to see Linux go.
The average Linux user is unlikely to need change a file in a text editor however even if they do it will usually be something minor.
All operating systems can have problems and it is very much a myth that Windows is easy all the time, what about arcane registry fixes and bizarre command line fixes that are sometimes required for unexplained (to the user) bugs.
Windows has improved a lot over the years and Windows 7 finally made some decent progress, however Windows 8 has made a step backwards in reliability in my experience - I've had more users ask for help with Windows 8 installations than Windows 7 despite 8 being the minority.
Yes SharePoint, so horrendously complicated that Microsoft boast about about much money Sharepoint Consultants can make to get it working as required :)
Absolutely no excuse for any Public Sector deployment of Sharepoint lock-in, if any thing it was probably a delibrate act of sabotage to make sure its harder to move away from Microsoft.
Some need to go to Jail. There as been a lot of campaigning to educate the Public Sector over many years. After getting an education on how to avoid lock-in and move to open standards many decison makers allowed themselves to move to vendor lock-in hell (Look at the introduction of Sharepoint in many Councils as a good example)
It is a disgrace, but I have first hand experience of similar problems in engineering & the Charity sector. I've even seen examples of "new" browser based software that requires IE8 to function properly.
To be fair to Microsoft they have improved Security & Reliablity over the years. However dumb down the ability to right software by introducing tools such as Visual Basic & you end up with muppets writing critical applications*, vendors get the cheapest coders they can & bolt some software to a product or service. Windows XP should not have being introduced to add compatibilty that Windows 2000 lacked as this opened the floodgates for a production line of medicore insecure software to continue.
*Thats not to say all VB coders are muppets just that it makes it easier for muppets to be coders :)
The amount of Money the NHS are spending couldnt they just bypass Microsoft and build a great big XP firewall, virtualise legacy apps & go to new suppilers that can provide decent software that is platform neutral?
Did they acutually go through a tendering process? Do they have to follow this? https://www.gov.uk/service-manual/making-software/choosing-technology
Windows 8 will break so much they will have to rewrite & virtualise stuff, They could have gone Linux and virtualised the old infrastructure
Just the fact that in these times of "Austerity" there is Automatic blank cheque for Microsoft (&Oracle etc in some parts) with no evalution of the alternatives is staggering
I don't know about anywhere else but I certainly think its time that these deals are subject to scrutiny in the UK, Microsoft are using a Monopoly in some Markets to unfairly distort another. How much is added to the cost of a phone (or contract is some instances) due to Microsoft bullying.
"So the client share of Linux is well below 2 percent because it is too much trouble." What is this trouble?, there may be an issue regarding specific software but for some users Linux is fine. The 2 percent is debatable, as far as I know there hasn't been independent research into real Linux use.
I remember when the reason given for users not to use Linux was due to it being unfamiliar to Windows users exactly the problem with tifkam!
From experience the real reason many small businesses stuck with Windows (particularly XP) was due to requirements of software they used., lots of this software is badly written and is not (or cannot) be updated so does not work well with Windows 7 and even Worse with 8.
For years PC Makers have colluded with Microsoft to keep alternatives such as Linux out of the market. Everyone knew Windows 8 would be a train wreck but no one would stand up to them.
As for the <2% Market share myth of Linux, just because its repeated ad-infinitum does not make it true.
Probably not but then you have a list of Microsoft lock in products. Sharepoint in particular is one of the products that make it extremely difficult to remove Microsoft Dependencies.
Best if organisations avoided Microsoft only technologies
The biggest problem Microsoft have it is guided by Arrogant bar stewards that believe they have a $deity given right to everything IT related and customers should be grateful to be able to use Microsoft's offerings.
This could be the tipping point that's been building up for years as all the major PC builders were quite happy to go along with any legal or illegal tactic as long as they got a cut.
There could have been a switch to Linux or BEOS or many other alternatives but they chose instead to keep the monopoly going.
You can fool all of the people ..etc.etc..
Hmm, most of the pro Office 365 posts are clearly trolling or trying to support a terrible product. It's not a reliable product!
Those Windows support people who do not have a vested interest in flogging a rubbish product tend to suggest Hosted Exchange rather the this awful product.
And regarding this statement ".....If you mean that you don't actually require Microsoft Office at all then you clearly have extremely limited IT requirements that are not typical for a business, and your statement is pointless noise..." You obviously have extremely limited views of what a business really needs, without knowing the business in question how do you even know they need an Office Package?! or that it must be MS Office the mind boggles!!
Then finally if Office 365 becomes really successful what's to stop Microsoft just cutting out the middle man and dealing with the customer direct?
Red Bren are you saying we should continue to employ Civil servants to stop them being unemployed!? The Public Sector is the BIG Elephant in the room the needs cutting down to a proper size i.e no more "busy" work just to keep people employed, but of course that would mean loss of voters wouldn't it?!"
It's bizarre that with all the negative reaction to Office 365 they are pushing so hard subscription to my own documents? no thank you!
It's does seem to be habit of theirs to neglect the stuff that is better and just keep shoving things like Windows 8 on the consumer that has no choice as that's all they can buy.
The Upper Management of Microsoft think that they own the software industry and therefore everyone will do as they are told!
Barnie
A definite trend in many Reg articles such as this is that at least when I read the comments most of the AC's appear to be pro Microsoft in one way or the other, often posting unsubstantial claims.
Could the reg start showing the addresses for AC's so we can see if they are from a handful of addresses or maybe do some sort of Top 10 of posters - using ips where no other info is available
Barnie