“”NT sucks!” “Linux sucks!” With those words, yet another flame
war begins. NT users appreciate its ease of configuration. Unix
users prefer to know the “guts” of their systems, and appreciate
the stability and flexibility that their OS has to offer. When
these two sides meet, they clash. What both sides need to learn is
that they are coming from totally different paradigms. As Linux
users and advocates, we have to respect and understand these
various backgrounds, and use that knowledge to help improve our own
OS.“
“Linux users typically enjoy learning about the “guts” of their
systems. There’s no denying that this does take more time than
using some sort of point-and-click tool, at least initially. More
research is involved, but generally your reward is greater
flexibility. Because the configuration files are text-based, and
stored in a logical hierarchy, they are easy to access and process
with command-lines tools and scripting languages.”
“Now, contrast this with the NT way. Configuration is generally
simple, using graphical tools. Command-line configuration is
sometimes possible, but not the preferred method. For people who
don’t have the time or inclination to become full-fledged
sysadmins, NT sometimes appears to be an attractive option. In
places such as small businesses, etc., having an experienced
sysadmin is not an option. They want to keep their costs low, and
they don’t mind having to reboot every so often, as long as they
can set the system up themselves.”