Ubuntu Domain Server

[Ryan Dwyer]

I agree that all networks should be managed by an experienced administrator,
but unfortunately a lot of them aren't. We can't change that. Many
businesses just want something that works and is easy to manage, even if
there are "issues" such as no backups. The target audience is the general
public, and the general public isn't going to know how to configure servers
using a CLI. They want something simple that gets the job done, and they're
who we need to cater for.

The GUI isn't what sells the product but it plays a key part. What sells the
product is the fact that it's easy to use plus the other benefits I wrote
about which Windows cannot/does not provide (images, auditing, centralised
management of all installed software).

Linux usage in my town is absolutely minimal. In my town you can enrol in a
course for Windows but not Linux. Our town's computer callout team are
skilled in Windows only. They set up Windows networks because it's easy. No
amount of improving packages and marketing will make these people switch to
a CLI environment.

No amount of marketing will make regular people switch to Linux on their
home desktop. Regular people don't even know what an operating system is.
You need to throw it in their face, make them experience it, and the
workplace is the best way to do this. They use it at work, then they say "I
want what they have" and it goes from there.

-Ryan

On Tue, Oct 20, 2009 at 7:56 PM, Michael Zoet <Michael.Zoet at zoet.de> wrote:

>
> > Hi everyone,
> > What are your thoughts on having a server product that competes with
> > Windows
> > Server? Something which has a GUI, is very easy to manage and works best
> > with Ubuntu workstations.
> >
>
> Such topics pop up every now and then on various Ubuntu mailinglists.
>
> I think it is a big mistake to believe server administration is easy when
> you have a GUI. I have seen a lot of small companies networks where they
> used Windows and had no admin because everything is so easy... Most of
> them even had no working backup...
> In my opinion most companies need admins with knowledge, not another GUI
> people can misconfigure their networks.
>
> ...
>
> > I believe targeting this market is the key to having Ubuntu take over the
> > desktop. Businesses will use Ubuntu servers and workstations if there are
> > great benefits over Windows equivalents. This results in everyday
> > employees
> > experiencing Ubuntu at work, which leads to Ubuntu being used at home.
>
> Ubuntu is already installed in various companies, institution and at home.
> Why do you think the market share will increase if there is a server GUI?
> I think Ubuntu should improve the software that is already there and do
> "information marketing" on how advanced Ubuntu is. And that it works great
> in most situations. As Desktop and server, at home and in companies.
>
> By the way: there are already a lot of GUIs for various admin tasks. You
> only need to install them.
>
> ...
>
> >
> > Please reply with your thoughts.
> >
>
> I will never understand why a server GUI would improve anything? If you
> are (also) in Windows system administration you know that a GUI has it's
> limitations. And even good Windows admins know how to write Windows
> scripts for automation and need to read a lot of documentation. Knowledge
> is one of the most important things for a system administrator. Doing
> things on the command line in Ubuntu gives you the chance to get this
> knowledge.
>
> But that's just my IMHO.
>
>
>
>
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