What we as the buying public should get is a version of Windows Server called something like "FileBlade Server" or something equivalent. Because Linux with Apache is eating into the low-end Win2K/IIS space, .NET Server (or whatever it's called now) is coming out in a "Web Blade" version which is stripped down to just to IIS very well and not much else. I think it would take very minimal effort (for Microsoft) to do the same thing for a strictly file-print OS config. I think the reason to-date we haven't seen such a thing is because Linux/SAMBA is not eating into the low-end file server space, so there's no need to compete so there's no need for this kind of server.


At the lowest OS level, there is no difference between any server or workstation versions. Actually, when I was doing NT 3.51, there was *1* Registry change that you could make to make the software think it was server or workstation. The OS behavior between the 2 is different, but the guts are exactly the same. I think that MS actually makes the Advanced Server-class product first, then strips stuff out to get to Server or Workstation, and lets the high-end guys add their tricks to make it DataCenter. But my guess is that it all begins life as "Advanced Server".




>Colin,
>
>Comments in-line...
>>Steve
>>
>>OK I read you. The reason I want more concurrent connections is not a money issue - its that I find Win2k server too heavyweight for the peer to peer files sharing apps that I run. I have also had major problems with
>>so-called server software which doesn't run properly on Win2k server.
>>
>>Why not an upgraded form of Win2k pro - more expensive of course but thats not the issue - which would allow the user to upgrade the number of concurrent connections.
>
>I agree wholeheartedly, and for all non-PRO versions of Windows. The "server" editions of things bring a whole lot more to the game than just more users allowed, and of that just gets in the way for your average LAN small businesses.
>
>>
>>After all, whilst Mike may want me to buy Win 2K server, I the customer don't like it and would prefer to buy Win2k pro.
>>
>>Perhaps Microsoft could listen to the wishes of its customers. Win 2k pro is proabably the best operating system Microsoft has produced. It
>>out-performs the cumbersome and fussy Windows XP and is more flexible and customer friendly than Win 2k server.