Linux v Windows system calls

Whatever about the security aspect of this article, the maps of system calls that occur during a request for a webpage on each system are telling. I won’t post them myself, but definitely worth a look.

Windows Vista Upgrade Decision Flowchart

Despite the fact that it comes from BBspot*, it’s pretty accurate. Upshot:

1. If you’re not running 2K or XP, don’t bother, your computer won’t be up to it anyway.
2. If you’re using it for business, wait for SP1.
3. If you’re a home user with the brains to support yourself and lots of money, go ahead.

I’m usually a first mover when it comes to these things, and having tried a late beta I was tempted to go for it, but I’ve decided to be sensible and stick with XP.

The upsides (the main one being Explorer navigation) just don’t outweight the downsides (compatibility, possible stability issues, etc).

* BBspot is a humour site. You’d be surprised how many people don’tget this. Even more than The Onion.

Don’t want Windows? Ask for a refund!

Well done to Alex French for kicking off an effort to get a refund for the Windows installation on a computer he bought from Dell. If you don’t want it, you shouldn’t have to pay for it!

Samba dev quits Novell over patent agreement

And joins Google apparently.

Mary Jo Foley: The word is out: Lead Samba developer Jeremy Allison has quit Novell in protest over the Microsoft-Novell alliance, unveiled on November 1. What isn’t widely known, at least so far, is that Allison is joining Microsoft rival Google.