3 ms·

And Windows can operate as a server running all sorts of things like Active Directory, Exchange, etc. - that's because Microsoft bundles the software with it to

And Windows can operate as a server running all sorts of things like Active Directory, Exchange, etc. - that's because Microsoft bundles the software with it to allow it to do this, but the underlying operating system remains the same. How is that any different to OS X? And how are you defining what is and isn't a "server operating system"? Perhaps I'm taking you too literally, but I guess I consider an operating system that allows or is designed to act as a server to be such a thing. Of course, it might not be the best way of running a server, but it's still an operating system running software listening on a port that serves the requests from clients. I seem to remember when people said Linux wasn't a "server OS", yet it very much was...

vertex-four 11y ago
> And Windows can operate as a server running all sorts of things like Active Directory, Exchange, etc. - that's because Microsoft bundles the software with it to allow it to do this, but the underlying operating system remains the same. Actually, it seriously isn't - Windows Server has a hugely changed set of features compared to Windows on the desktop, from the kernel upwards. The software in question is tied heavily into every piece of the OS - there is almost no major component in Windows 10 that is exactly the same in its equivalent server build. This is very different from both OS X and Linux. OS X is very much not designed to act as a permanently always-on server in a business-critical capacity - what I'd expect from a server OS. The fact that Apple sell a product called "server" doesn't change that, any more than that XAMPP exists for Windows 10. To put it in a question - would you run your SaaS off of OS X?
- hughw 11y ago
  Sure, I would. You think a Mac Pro couldn't run Apache, MySQL, and PHP continuously for a year or so? I imagine I'd discover some network tweaks I'd want to make, but I'd be interested to hear what part of that system would prove inadequate.
- chris_wot 11y ago
  No, I wouldn't. I think I made that clear already? I'm just saying that I don't understand your definition of a "server OS". Incidentally, my point about Windows Server is the same you have made - except that the kernel architecture is the same. It still runs pretty much this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architecture_of_Windows_NT#/media/File:Windows_2000_architecture.svg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architecture_of_Windows_NT#/me...
mcbits 11y ago
If I understand correctly, non-Server editions of Windows have an artificial limit of 20 simultaneous incoming network connections. But I'm not sure if it's just an EULA thing, or it's only enforced in specific services (e.g. file/printer sharing, IIS), or if it's implemented at the network layer. If it's the latter, that would surely disqualify it from "server OS" status.
- chris_wot 11y ago
  There are only two limitations I know of: by default Microsoft limited the number of half open TCP connections. This limitation was removed in Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008 SP2, but you need to change it via a registry key: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/969710 https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/969710 There are limits on the maximum number of requests in an SMB session, but these are defaults and can be configured by changing the MaxCmds for SMB 2.0 clients and MaxMpxCt on SMB 1.0 clients. https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/dn567661(v=vs.85).aspx https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/dn...

vertex-four 11y ago

> And Windows can operate as a server running all sorts of things like Active Directory, Exchange, etc. - that's because Microsoft bundles the software with it to allow it to do this, but the underlying operating system remains the same. Actually, it seriously isn't - Windows Server has a hugely changed set of features compared to Windows on the desktop, from the kernel upwards. The software in question is tied heavily into every piece of the OS - there is almost no major component in Windows 10 that is exactly the same in its equivalent server build. This is very different from both OS X and Linux. OS X is very much not designed to act as a permanently always-on server in a business-critical capacity - what I'd expect from a server OS. The fact that Apple sell a product called "server" doesn't change that, any more than that XAMPP exists for Windows 10. To put it in a question - would you run your SaaS off of OS X?

hughw 11y ago
Sure, I would. You think a Mac Pro couldn't run Apache, MySQL, and PHP continuously for a year or so? I imagine I'd discover some network tweaks I'd want to make, but I'd be interested to hear what part of that system would prove inadequate.
chris_wot 11y ago
No, I wouldn't. I think I made that clear already? I'm just saying that I don't understand your definition of a "server OS". Incidentally, my point about Windows Server is the same you have made - except that the kernel architecture is the same. It still runs pretty much this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architecture_of_Windows_NT#/media/File:Windows_2000_architecture.svg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architecture_of_Windows_NT#/me...

mcbits 11y ago

If I understand correctly, non-Server editions of Windows have an artificial limit of 20 simultaneous incoming network connections. But I'm not sure if it's just an EULA thing, or it's only enforced in specific services (e.g. file/printer sharing, IIS), or if it's implemented at the network layer. If it's the latter, that would surely disqualify it from "server OS" status.

chris_wot 11y ago
There are only two limitations I know of: by default Microsoft limited the number of half open TCP connections. This limitation was removed in Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008 SP2, but you need to change it via a registry key: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/969710 https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/969710 There are limits on the maximum number of requests in an SMB session, but these are defaults and can be configured by changing the MaxCmds for SMB 2.0 clients and MaxMpxCt on SMB 1.0 clients. https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/dn567661(v=vs.85).aspx https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/dn...