6 ms·

This statement imply that you cant run a Windows without a GUI which is false. Windows can run fine with 256MB RAM with no display support.

by Kuinox 6y ago

spijdar 6y ago
The point is that Windows' biggest advantage is its familiar GUI. The trouble with Linux on the desktop (and in most small business environments where the sysadmins only know how to drive windows server with a full gui installed) is the Linux GUI can kinda suck, and way more people are familiar with the Windows GUI. Take away the GUI, and Linux becomes a pretty easy choice.
- Kuinox 6y ago
  Windows biggest advantage is it's UX which the GUI is a part of. "Take away the GUI, and Linux becomes a pretty easy choice. " An external machine can become the GUI. It's not because your machine can't render that it can't have an external GUI. VSCode SSH is popular because it's able to bring a decent GUI to any linux server.
- JCharante 6y ago
  The GUI bit is interesting because my experience is that non technical people can't even navigate windows without extra instruction. My teenage job was to train hotel / resort call center agents on using oracle tools and even a CLI tool (if you've ever made a Marriott booking over the phone) then the person on the other end has a terminal open and is entirely using keyboard navigation. Although different workplaces probably give their staff more autonomy which requires their staff to have prerequisite knowledge.
orev 6y ago
That’s the party line, however Windows with no GUI is extremely awkward to use, and most people just end up using RSAT to interact with it, which is just running the GUI remotely.
- Kuinox 6y ago
  The purpose to not have a GUI is to be able to run on lighter hardware. It doesnt mean you have to work without GUI.
- skissane 6y ago
  All my Windows boxes have a GUI, but for admin tasks I avoid using the GUI as much as possible. I do a lot of stuff logged in over SSH from my Mac laptop. I run PowerShell scripts. I also have a custom "remote-admin" Windows service (which I wrote myself) which exports functions over HTTP. (I do that to enable/disable my son's laptop account depending on whether he is allowed to use it.) I edit files over SSH using vim netrw. I will still occasionally access the GUI via RDP, but I find myself doing that less and less often.
jfk13 6y ago
Although without display support the name "Windows" feels rather odd.
cosmotic 6y ago
The point of an OS is to run apps. Given a headless machine, which windows apps would you be interested in running and why would you chose windows over linux? About the only reason in the past has been IIS and MS SQL Server. With .NET core and linux sql server, what reasons are left? An affinity for command.com?
- Kuinox 6y ago
  Documentation. Not having to skim the web to find what mean a certain column in the text output of a simple command.
  - LargoLasskhyfv 6y ago
    Why would you skim the web, when there are manpages? OFC their quality and usefulness varies, depending on UNIXoid platform. From my point of view this skimming the web for documentation started with/came from the countless Microsoft users. One still don't need to skim the web with good manpages.
    - Kuinox 6y ago
      Man pages are not as detailed as ms docs. I don't remember which command that displayed MAC/stuff like that, but they laked of details, and 1 colum had no info at all. Meanwhile the whole structure was documented on windows.
- mPReDiToR 6y ago
  Point one is that "apps" are a new fangled term for the type of program used by shims over Operating Systems. Point two is that an Operating System is supposed to operate a system, with or without users. Embedded systems frequently operate without any user input. Win10 has an IoT version (for some reason), so I assume _some_ people find a use case for it. In summation I cordially disagree with your assertion, with provided reasons.
  - skissane 6y ago

This statement imply that you cant run a Windows without a GUI which is false. Windows can run fine with 256MB RAM with no display support.

by Kuinox 6y ago

This statement imply that you cant run a Windows without a GUI which is false. Windows can run fine with 256MB RAM with no display support.

spijdar 6y ago

The point is that Windows' biggest advantage is its familiar GUI. The trouble with Linux on the desktop (and in most small business environments where the sysadmins only know how to drive windows server with a full gui installed) is the Linux GUI can kinda suck, and way more people are familiar with the Windows GUI. Take away the GUI, and Linux becomes a pretty easy choice.

Kuinox 6y ago
Windows biggest advantage is it's UX which the GUI is a part of. "Take away the GUI, and Linux becomes a pretty easy choice. " An external machine can become the GUI. It's not because your machine can't render that it can't have an external GUI. VSCode SSH is popular because it's able to bring a decent GUI to any linux server.
JCharante 6y ago
The GUI bit is interesting because my experience is that non technical people can't even navigate windows without extra instruction. My teenage job was to train hotel / resort call center agents on using oracle tools and even a CLI tool (if you've ever made a Marriott booking over the phone) then the person on the other end has a terminal open and is entirely using keyboard navigation. Although different workplaces probably give their staff more autonomy which requires their staff to have prerequisite knowledge.

orev 6y ago

That’s the party line, however Windows with no GUI is extremely awkward to use, and most people just end up using RSAT to interact with it, which is just running the GUI remotely.

Kuinox 6y ago
The purpose to not have a GUI is to be able to run on lighter hardware. It doesnt mean you have to work without GUI.
skissane 6y ago
All my Windows boxes have a GUI, but for admin tasks I avoid using the GUI as much as possible. I do a lot of stuff logged in over SSH from my Mac laptop. I run PowerShell scripts. I also have a custom "remote-admin" Windows service (which I wrote myself) which exports functions over HTTP. (I do that to enable/disable my son's laptop account depending on whether he is allowed to use it.) I edit files over SSH using vim netrw. I will still occasionally access the GUI via RDP, but I find myself doing that less and less often.

jfk13 6y ago

Although without display support the name "Windows" feels rather odd.

cosmotic 6y ago

The point of an OS is to run apps. Given a headless machine, which windows apps would you be interested in running and why would you chose windows over linux? About the only reason in the past has been IIS and MS SQL Server. With .NET core and linux sql server, what reasons are left? An affinity for command.com?

Kuinox 6y ago
Documentation. Not having to skim the web to find what mean a certain column in the text output of a simple command.
- LargoLasskhyfv 6y ago
  Why would you skim the web, when there are manpages? OFC their quality and usefulness varies, depending on UNIXoid platform. From my point of view this skimming the web for documentation started with/came from the countless Microsoft users. One still don't need to skim the web with good manpages.
  - Kuinox 6y ago
    Man pages are not as detailed as ms docs. I don't remember which command that displayed MAC/stuff like that, but they laked of details, and 1 colum had no info at all. Meanwhile the whole structure was documented on windows.
mPReDiToR 6y ago
Point one is that "apps" are a new fangled term for the type of program used by shims over Operating Systems. Point two is that an Operating System is supposed to operate a system, with or without users. Embedded systems frequently operate without any user input. Win10 has an IoT version (for some reason), so I assume _some_ people find a use case for it. In summation I cordially disagree with your assertion, with provided reasons.
- skissane 6y ago