“Compaq also will provide a “free operating system replacement
for AlphaServers to OpenVMS or Tru64 UNIX – [Compaq] doesn’t
distribute Linux, but [it] could certainly be put onto the
AlphaServers that have also been certified for Linux,” Dancy
says….”
“If you’re not wedded to NT, or if your servers are old enough
that you can’t get much of a break from Compaq, you’re not dead
yet. You can get freeware UNIX for most Alpha systems. Compaq
will sell you new ones with Linux pre-loaded, if you like; Compaq
and Alpha Processor both recognized that this strategy is the best
volume play they have for the chip….“
“If you use your servers for file and print services, you should
run Samba on Linux or NetBSD. This widely used freeware lets your
UNIX server participate fully in a Windows workgroup or NT network,
and the UNIX/Samba system will probably crash a lot less than most
NT services. You can also do scripted backups automatically without
buying a backup product.”