Why advocating Linux can be an up hill battle...

bscott at ntisys.com bscott at ntisys.com
Thu Apr 24 16:00:08 EDT 2003


On Thu, 24 Apr 2003, at 3:10pm, hewitt_tech at attbi.com wrote:
> One of my clients is running an all windows shop. He does this because his
> primary application, QuickBooks, is Windows based and because the
> QuickBooks folks require a Windows server to host their application in a
> networked environment.

  Yes.  Intuit explictly requires this.  They will not provide support if
the QuickBooks data files are kept on anything but an MS-Windows server.  
If they find out you are using a Linux server, they will not provide
support.  This despite the fact that it does not require any server-side
software; it only uses shared data files.

  QuickBooks isn't very stable software to begin with; it has enough trouble
in an all-MS enviornment.  Even then, corruptions, inconsistancies, and
other problems with the data files are common.  I have been told that it
conflicts badly with the locking behavior present in some versions of Samba
or a distribution thereof.

  If you're going to try it anyway, be sure you turn off oplocks, and turn
on strict locking.  And pray.

> But here's the killer - my client stated that they were nervous about
> using a Linux server.

  It is entirely a question of support.  If they are depending on a product
(like QuickBooks), and the product OEM will not support Linux, then running
that product on Linux is likely a bad idea.  It might be that the better
thing to do is find a product/OEM that doesn't suck, of course.

> P.S. I have also figured out how the client's NT server got nailed with
> the Nimda virus and at least a couple of their workstations mysteriously
> went belly up...

  Be aware that Microsoft's recommendation after a Nimda compromise is to
wipe and reinstall the machine.

-- 
Ben Scott <bscott at ntisys.com>
| The opinions expressed in this message are those of the author and do  |
| not represent the views or policy of any other person or organization. |
| All information is provided without warranty of any kind.              |




More information about the gnhlug-discuss mailing list