Re: A newbie's opinion - postgres NEEDS a Windows binary!

On Tue, 20 Nov 2001, Mike Arace wrote:

> Postgres is by far my favorite open-source RDBMS system, and is the most
> capable I have found.  The community is also perhaps the most vibrant I have
> seen.  If you ask any question you will have an answer in 6 minutes flat.
> Its great.
>
> That being said, the lack of a native Windows version puts it at a distinct
> disadvantage when trying to gain access to new markets.

Mike,

  You've identified just a couple of the many advantages of linux and the
*BSDs over the various flavors of Windows. But, you're looking in from the
outside instead of stepping over the very low bridge from Redmond to your
choices.

  I've run my business on linux-hosted software for almost four years now.
And I'd never look back. Consider moving yourself (and your company) away
from Windows and gain all the benefits of the open source/free software
world.

  Yes, money is a big factor, but it's far from the most important factor.
The most important, critical, and over-riding reason to move to linux is
to regain control over the current state of your business and the future of
your business. You may not appreciate the difference until you experience it
first hand. By the same reasoning, people in countries without the freedoms
we (still) have cannot imagine what it would be like to select where you
want to live, what sort of work you'd like to do and for whom you'd like to
work. Or, if you're a woman, whom you will marry.

  I've watched my sysadmin friends complain about the loss of control in
their companies when Microsoft decides to change a document format and now
everyone has to upgrade to the latest version and try to convert all their
documents to the current standard.

  Postgres is an outstanding database, there's no question about it. But,
there are *choices* -- real choices -- in the linux world for word
processing, spreadsheets, graphics, presentations, accounting, and so on.
Some offerings are proprietary and cost money, others are released under the
GPL or BSD licenses either for a price or for free. But, you get to pick and
choose what works for you and makes the best sense (and greatest profit) for
your company.

  Over the years there have been a very few times, perhaps three, when I've
had to transmit a document electronically to a client or a regulatory
agency. If they cannot figure out how to import an ASCII text file into
whatever version of winWord they have, I send it to them in Word-6 format
and they're happy. Almost everything we do ends up on paper and no one at
all cares what software is used to produce it. It's the product that
matters, not the process.

  So, before you ask those of us in the linux/*BSD community to lower our
standards for the convenience of Microserfs, consider making the change
yourself in the other direction. You'll be amazed at how computing becomes
fun again.

Rich

Dr. Richard B. Shepard, President

                       Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc. (TM)
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