Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Re: the OS price

Author:Dave Winer
Posted:7/4/1999; 9:46:13 AM
Topic:scriptingNews outline for 7/2/99
Msg #:8167 (In response to 8165)
Prev/Next:8166 / 8168

How does a price cut respond to the major criticisms of NT--reliability, scalability, administrative flexibility, etc?

They're complaining about the wrong thing. The market would be better served by software that was optimized to be a server, out of the box, without needing a degree from Linux University or Microsoft University. Simplicity and reasonable performance are the real issues, not the monster kind of performance that the benchmarks test.

What if you could drop a server onto your LAN and thru a web interface have a functioning mail, web, filesharing server, and every other kind of Internet standard server, in an attractive package for $1K? With DSL booming, and cable companies digging in, think of how the market for servers could boom. Linux is just beginning to address that market, and they can for economic reasons.

I'm not coming from the usual place, I'm seeing a market that's huge, much bigger than today's server market. Simplicity and price and configuration competition is what's needed to make this market happen. NT can't participate in that market, with its current distribution options and pricing.

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