[oclug] Re: LAMP vs MS Solutions for Small Business

[Robert Brockway]

On Fri, 18 Feb 2005, A Blair wrote:

> 2 - Security issues
>  There seems to be an edge for Windows/IIS/MSSQL/etc;

> Because security trumps cost for us (as in most businesses) according
> to this analysis the Board would probably go with the Microsoft

I have to take issue with the evaluation that "Windows/IIS/MSSQL" has the 
edge in security.  Whoever made that assertion better back it up because 
it doens't gel with my reality.  Go compare the CERT figures for 
MS-Windows vs Linux vulnerabilities, especially with respect to severity.

> solution.  Whoa, can I be reading this right - a discussion on the
> relative merits on the *Linux* users group mailing list results in the
> adoption of the Microsoft solution?

I always tell people to use what works - but by this I mean they should 
look at the big picture too.  That includes cost, security, availability 
of support and avoidance of lock in.

I'm firmly convinced that future freedom in our society requires adherence 
to open standards[1].  Our society is now totally dependent on data held 
within computers.  Allowing this information to be held in closed formats 
(controlled by small groups) is folly as far as I'm concerned.  How's that 
for the big picture.

[1] But the reverse is not true - open standards alone will not guarantee 
freedom.

Cheers,

Rob

-- 
Robert Brockway B.Sc.
Senior Technical Consultant, OpenTrend Solutions Ltd.
Phone: 416-669-3073 Email: rbrockway at opentrend.net http://www.opentrend.net
OpenTrend Solutions: Reliable, secure solutions to real world problems.
Contributing Member of Software in the Public Interest (http://www.spi-inc.org)