*BSD News Article 69416


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From: apc@enterprise.net (Adrian Cooper)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc
Subject: Re: Apache vs Netscape Commerce Server
Date: Sat, 25 May 96 23:26:54 GMT
Organization: Enterprise PLC - Internet Services
Lines: 42
Message-ID: <4o858m$22f@news.enterprise.net>
References: <4ni00j$9jb@news2.cais.com> <4o2p59$p7v@news.enterprise.net> <4o4nho$j58@stout.entertain.com>
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In article <4o4nho$j58@stout.entertain.com>, dwatson@stout.entertain.com (Darryl Watson) wrote:
>
>If it is true that Netscape is not continuing development of BSDI 
>Netscape servers, then they have already lost to Microsoft.  The one 
>thing that saves them in this market place is multi-platform support.
>
>Microsoft will never support another operating system.
>
>(I actually think that Netscape consistently produces far superior 
>software to Microsoft, but most of the computing world is too stupid to 
>understand this and so they spend their green votes on MicroBorg.)

Lest we forget the well known phenomena of a few months back - M$ actually 
appeared to use BSDI instead of Windows NT as their O/S of choice for their 
large network of Windows 95 marketing and support Web servers.

The reasons for this are unknown (unless it was for the round-robin DNS that 
they were/are also using), but I think that we can safely assume that it 
was/is not a statement of intent to develop for BSDI in the future. 

It looks as if Windows NT has hijacked the Intel platform at the expense of 
BSDI :-(  Not sure what the solution is as market forces are clearly the 
pre-determining factors here - but unless we fight the BSDI cause then running 
large commercial Web servers in future means either Windows NT - not a serious 
option - or buying a Sparc or an Indy - again not a serious option.

If Netscape are no longer interested in developing for BSDI, maybe they should 
license or sub-contract the BSDI platform versions of their products over to 
an organisation that is committed to BSDI development.

After all - BSDI is known to be the most powerful and efficient Web server 
platform of all.


 

--
Adrian.
___________________________________
Adrian Cooper  | apc@enterprise.net
Enterprise PLC | http://www.enterprise.net
Leading Internet Services in the British Isles.