Some of the changes in the upcoming release of Windows Server 2008 are a response to features and performance advantages that have made Linux an attractive option to Microsoft customers. One of these is the fact that Linux has less of a surface area, which led customers to believe that Linux is inherently more secure, Bill Laing, the general manager for Microsoft's Windows Server division, told eWEEK. "Having less surface area does reduce the servicing and the amount of code you have running and exposed, so we have done a lot of work in 2008 to make the system more modular. There are more than 30 components not installed by default, which is a huge change," Laing said. "We also have server core, which doesn't have the GUI, so I would say that is a response to the options people had with Linux that they didn't have with Windows."
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Member since:2007-04-29
first of all, most video drivers are third party and running really deep in the kernel, therefore prone to problems. all extra running services and files provide an extra angle of attack. running no services at all will be extremely safe (and useless 
), running all services will be very unsafe. so it's up to the system maintainer to enable the minimal set of services required to do the job, that's just common sense.
in the real world i had little trouble with windows servers (stability wise), but i feel safer when a program is not installed. that way i'm 100% sure it can't crash and it can't be used to crack my server.
Member since:2006-05-14
Member since:2005-07-11
most video drivers are third party and running really deep in the kernel
All the Windows Server boxes I've had the (dis)pleasure to see in action have used the generic SVGA driver from MS at 800x600, or at most 1024x768.
Can't think of a good reason (although there probably is one out there) to need a larger screen on a server, or a better drive than a plain 2D one.
Member since:2005-07-08
Let's be honest here. To problem with Windows Server isn't really security or stability. The problem is that it's expensive and inflexible. If you want it to do something it doesn't normally do, it's going to cost you a lot of money to make it happen. If you build your business around the Microsoft ecosystem, you don't really have any smooth and cost-effective migration paths off of the platform should you become unsatisfied with the products or services sometime down the line.
IT is too important to trust to a single vendor. Yes, Linux is modular, and it's very easy for customers to customize to their needs or for vendors to provide targeted products. But the real innovation of Linux is that by creating an FOSS platform, it created a vibrant and competitive service-oriented ecosystem that is growing leaps and bounds. You're going to get a better experience for your IT dollar with Linux, not just because of the technology, but because it's an open ecosystem.
The question going through the minds of IT decision-makers regarding the new upcoming release of Windows Server is whether it's wise to continue to hitch the future of their businesses to Microsoft. I think that most CIOs are past the idea that FOSS is about the ability to see and modify the code. They now realize that FOSS is about getting the high-quality products and services they need at a fair price. The future of IT is about free markets via free software.
It's a shame that Microsoft is fixated on the wrong aspects of FOSS, but then again, they couldn't really compete with FOSS on openness.
Edited 2007-05-19 04:43
Member since:2005-07-06
It's a shame that Microsoft is fixated on the wrong aspects of FOSS, but then again, they couldn't really compete with FOSS on openness.
There is actually nowehere that Microsoft can compete with FOSS.
They are trying hard with IE7 against Firefox, but that would be it.
Vista cannot compete against Ubuntu 7.04 or Suse 10.3, (looking sweet).
Windows Server cannot compete with a Debian server.
No Windows verion can compete financially with a Linux version.
Some people say that OpenOffice.org cannot compete with Microsoft Office. Hmmm, I have never seen an incompatability, and I want some of these people to show a link to their file. It cannot compete financially either in this area.
If a company has over 1000 desktop machines, why would they actually want to pay Microsoft license fees for them all ?
Now, back to the article....
Have Microsoft not said for years upon years that Windows is so tightly integrated that removing things like Internet Explorer or Media Player will essentially break it, and that the GUI stay to give everyone a common workplace and that it is essential for Windows to operate ?
How can they now remove it ?
Did theyrewrite Windows ? or have they (by their own logic), broken it ?
Member since:2006-04-21
Member since:2005-07-06
Member since:2007-03-26
"
It was only reacently that MS had to release a critical update because the Windows cursor could be exploited ;-)
"Ilja van Sprundel, a security researcher with IOActive, has discovered a large number of issues in the way various X client libraries handle the responses they receive from servers, and has worked with X.Org's security team to analyze, confirm, and fix these issues."
"Google is facing a new antitrust probe by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission into whether the company is using its leadership in the online display-advertising market to illegally curb competition, people familiar with the matter said." Sucks to be Google today, apparently.
"In the midst of the major press blitz surrounding its annual I/O Conference, Google dropped some unfortunate news about its instant messaging plans. In several places around the web, the company is replacing the existing 'Talk' platform with a new one called 'Hangouts' that sharply diminishes support for the open messaging protocol known as XMPP (or sometimes informally Jabber), and also removes the option to disable the archiving of all chat communications. These changes represent a switch from open protocols to proprietary ones, and a clear step backward for many users." That's why I always say: only suckers trust companies.
"The wave of departures is a sign of internal struggle, but amidst all the bad news, there is a glimmer of hope. According to an anonymous HTC executive cited by WSJ, the crucial HTC One is selling 'pretty good so far'. The executive revealed that HTC sold about five million One units since launch, a performance that is deemed encouraging. However, sales have been limited by the persisting supply issues that still plague the production of the HTC One." Finally some good news for HTC. Five million units amidst supply constraints is very impressive.
"Sony gave the PS4 50% more raw shader performance, plain and simple (768 SPs @ 800MHz vs. 1152 SPs & 800MHz). Unlike last generation, you don't need to be some sort of Jedi to extract the PS4's potential here. The Xbox One and PS4 architectures are quite similar, Sony just has more hardware under the hood. Weâll have to wait and see how this hardware delta gets exposed in games over time, but the gap is definitely there. The funny thing about game consoles is that itâs usually the lowest common denominator that determines the bulk of the experience across all platforms. On the plus side, the Xbox One should enjoy better power/thermal characteristics compared to the PlayStation 4. Even compared to the Xbox 360 we should see improvement in many use cases thanks to modern power management techniques." AnandTech does its usual in-depth thing."The Verge has learned that HTC's Chief Product Officer, Kouji Kodera, left the company last week. Kodera was responsible for HTC's overall product strategy, which makes the departure especially notable on the heels of the global launch of the make-or-break One. It's not just Kodera. In the past three-odd months, HTC has lost a number of employees in rapid succession." I really hope HTC pulls it together.
"It is with huge pleasure that the Debian GNU/Hurd team announces the release of Debian GNU/Hurd 2013. This is a snapshot of Debian 'sid' at the time of the Debian 'wheezy' release (May 2013), so it is mostly based on the same sources. It is not an official Debian release, but it is an official Debian GNU/Hurd port release." Important note: 75% of Debian packages are supported bu Debian GNU/Hurd. Impressive.
"The first killer app was VisiCalc. This early spreadsheet turned the Apple II from a hobbyist toy to a business computer. VisiCalc came with room for improvement, though. In addition, a new architecture and operating system, the Intel-based IBM PC and MS-DOS, also needed a spreadsheet to be taken seriously. That spreadsheet, released in early 1983, would be Lotus 1-2-3, and it would change the world. It became the PC's killer app, and the world would never be the same. On May 14, IBM quietly announced the end of the road for 1-2-3, along with Lotus Organizer and the Lotus SmartSuite office suite. Lotus 1-2-3's day is done." Impressive 30 year run."There's a disconnect between how Apple CEO Tim Cook sees his company's tax strategies and how some members of the US Senate view it. That became clearer than ever today after Cook and two other Apple executives testified before Congress, explaining why they're holding most of their international income in Irish subsidiaries like Apple Operations International, which declare no tax residency anywhere in the world. AOI hasn't filed a tax return anywhere in the world for the last five years, yet it earned $30 billion in income from 2009 to 2012, according to a Senate report released yesterday." Just because something is legal, doesn't mean it's just. Apple, Google, Microsoft, and many more - these companies might not be breaking any laws, but it's obvious to anyone that what they are doing is scummy.
The new WebKit Opera for Android has been released. "Opera 14 for Android is built on top of Chromium 26, with a total overhaul of the UI in native code, making it fit well with the latest Android design guidelines. Go get the build from Google Play or point your browser to m.opera.com, and give it a spin!"
Member since:
2007-03-30
Is your worry rational, though? Do the Windows Server GUI and video drivers really hurt security and stability? Is there any proof, or is this just imaginary FUD?