__/ [ Ramon F Herrera ] on Tuesday 19 December 2006 04:13 \__
>
> Tim Smith wrote:
>> In article <1166494223.334200.306000@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
>> "Ramon F Herrera" <ramon@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> > NASA has been one of the earliest supporters of Linux. A while back
>> > 3Com (the company that invented Ethernet) didn't included Linux drivers
>> > with their cards, but they provided a link to the authors of the Linux
>> > driver, at NASA.
>> >
>> > There is a general rule: in any business, organization, university,
>> > etc. where you have bright people you will find that they use
>> > Unix/Linux while any shop where they hire people whose main skill is
>> > moving a mouse around (Mickey Mouse Community College material) they
>> > will tend to use Windows.
>>
>> Oh, really? Then how do you explain NASA's use of Windows 2000 for the
>> PGSCs (which they switched to from Windows 98 starting with STS-114)?
>>
>> <http://www.spaceref.com/shuttle/computer/106.software.pdf>
>>
>> <http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:jqaxbjRexnkJ:images.spaceref.com/new
>> s/2006/SEI.121.frr.pdf&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=5>
>>
>> The situation is similar on the ISS.
>>
>> Here's an experiment you can try. Watch every science and engineering
>> news show you can find (e.g., on the various channels from Discovery,
>> and the National Geographic channel, and on Nova and Nature on PBS,
>> etc). Whenever you see a computer, try to get a good enough look at the
>> screen to figure out what it is running.
>>
>> Don't do this, though, if you are easily depressed, as you will see a
>> lot of Windows, everywhere from leading research labs down to
>> controlling big industrial robots on the assembly lines.
>>
>> --
>> --Tim Smith
>
>
> Tim:
>
> I have never argued that Windows is dominant in desktops (duh!) and the
> applications you mentioned are indeed non mission critical. I am
> posting this from my Windows laptop. There is a clear client-server
> division and that's were I draw the line.
>
> You can bet that the computers used for flight control at NASA, or
> those used in ships, airplanes, industrial equipment, are not Windows,
> unless they provide a GUI. Nasdaq is an excellent example. Big Unix
> iron in the background, Windows in the visible side.
>
> Not even Bill Gates himself or any of his relatives will get into an
> airplane or hospital equipment that was Windows based.
>
> The better the university, the more Unix/Linux they use.
That is actually an excellent point. Just look at MIT and Stanford... merely
no community college will run something other than Microsoft Windows with
its default applications (including IE). It confirms the belief that Windows
is interchangable with merely anything and relies on the 'cattle effect',
not just the paid-for 'network effect'.
--
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