3 ms·

i think you're underestimating the importance of the underlying technology. my job is mostly writing linux programs on a mac. if my boss came to me today and

i think you're underestimating the importance of the underlying technology. my job is mostly writing linux programs on a mac. if my boss came to me today and told me that my new job is writing windows server apps on a windows pc, i'd be looking for another job. i'd be willing to bet that a whole lot of yahoo engineers feel the same way. and personally, i think microsoft would sooner die than switch to unix. i can't see them giving up like that. if the situation gets really rough and they're finally forced to do something drastic, i think it would be writing a brand-new-from-scratch operating system, which would allow them to ditch 20-plus-years of legacy apps and APIs, the main thing that's holding them back. if they were to do that, i might actually get interested in them again.

Tichy 19y ago
What do you mean by server apps? Maybe I am living in fantasy land, because I was a Java developer most of the time, but I couldn't care less if my web applications run on Linux., OS X or Windows, if the system admin can ensure me that it is secure (or at least takes the responsibility for it). And all other web development languages, Perl, Python, Ruby, PHP and so on are all available for Windows, too, so where is the problem? Does Yahoo have any other desktop applications besides the useless messenger? If not, then everything else is web applications, so most of their engineers should be fine. Only the sysadmins might be in trouble, IF MS decides to switch over to Windows servers anyway. I know MS switching to Linux seems unlikely, but wouldn't it be cool? ;-) I just don't think that MS are the evil empire most people seem to make them out to be. They solved some really hard software problems, that for example Apple never had to solve (hardware compatibility). They really did useful research in usability. They never were a monopoly. And they made some bad design decisions, but to their defense, a few years ago security wasn't the big topic that it is today. I can't think of an excuse for Vista, though. Personally, I also use Linux, btw., I am definitely not a MS fanboy.
- allenbrunson 19y ago
  sigh. i'm tired of trying to explain this. anybody else want to step in here?
  - Tichy 19y ago
    Well you could explain what you mean by server apps, maybe then I could understand you?

Tichy 19y ago

What do you mean by server apps? Maybe I am living in fantasy land, because I was a Java developer most of the time, but I couldn't care less if my web applications run on Linux., OS X or Windows, if the system admin can ensure me that it is secure (or at least takes the responsibility for it). And all other web development languages, Perl, Python, Ruby, PHP and so on are all available for Windows, too, so where is the problem? Does Yahoo have any other desktop applications besides the useless messenger? If not, then everything else is web applications, so most of their engineers should be fine. Only the sysadmins might be in trouble, IF MS decides to switch over to Windows servers anyway. I know MS switching to Linux seems unlikely, but wouldn't it be cool? ;-) I just don't think that MS are the evil empire most people seem to make them out to be. They solved some really hard software problems, that for example Apple never had to solve (hardware compatibility). They really did useful research in usability. They never were a monopoly. And they made some bad design decisions, but to their defense, a few years ago security wasn't the big topic that it is today. I can't think of an excuse for Vista, though. Personally, I also use Linux, btw., I am definitely not a MS fanboy.

allenbrunson 19y ago
sigh. i'm tired of trying to explain this. anybody else want to step in here?
- Tichy 19y ago
  Well you could explain what you mean by server apps, maybe then I could understand you?