4 ms·

For comparison: Windows Server has 5-10 years of support, and MacOS has 3-5.

okanat 2y ago
Depending on what you exactly expect from Windows Server, it has longer support due to great software compatibly Microsoft provides. Upgrading Windows Server editions since 2008 is usually way smoother than upgrading Linux distros because basically everything keeps working more or less the same, often without needing to reconfigure them. Linux world changes things often and breaking compatibility between versions is expected.
- cjk2 2y ago
  Yeah this. I only shot an win32 c++ win32 desktop app I compiled for NT4 in 1999 about 2 years ago and that was running on Windows Server 2016 fine. It was resurrected earlier this year again. futzed a bit by someone else to fix some deprecated windows APIs, couple of bugs fixed, recompiled and is now 64 bit on windows server 2022. 150kloc took a day to fix for someone.
tempnow987 2y ago
You can run windows programs from the literal dark ages on Windows 11 Enterprise. In government at least this is a big deal. Will binaries from 15 years ago run on SUSE Linux? Somehow I doubt it. I've seen hardware utilities that look like pre Windows 95 programs running on modern windows? Is that sound possible?
- pooper 2y ago
  > Will binaries from 15 years ago run on SUSE Linux? If it is important enough, the government should demand ownership of the source code, not just take some binary and call it a day.
- vbezhenar 2y ago
  Linux kernel API is stable. Why wouldn’t you able to run properly written program from 2009? I’m pretty sure it’ll run just fine.
  - Macha 2y ago
    glibc on the other hand is very much not.
    - vbezhenar 2y ago
      glibc is backwards-compatible as well.
      - okanat 2y ago
        Until it isn't. https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Proton/issues/6051 https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Proton/issues/6051 No glibc will not fix it and the rolling release distros are now patching their libc. Here is the list of ABI breaking changes: https://abi-laboratory.pro/?view=timeline&l=glibc https://abi-laboratory.pro/?view=timeline&l=glibc Also a system layer isn't just the C library. Other core Linux libraries often break their ABI too.
yjftsjthsd-h 2y ago
Perhaps the more direct comparison is RHEL with 10 years of normal support and more if you're willing to pay more ( https://www.redhat.com/en/resources/els-datasheet https://www.redhat.com/en/resources/els-datasheet ) and Ubuntu with... looks like 5-12 years depending on how much you pay?

Depending on what you exactly expect from Windows Server, it has longer support due to great software compatibly Microsoft provides. Upgrading Windows Server editions since 2008 is usually way smoother than upgrading Linux distros because basically everything keeps working more or less the same, often without needing to reconfigure them. Linux world changes things often and breaking compatibility between versions is expected.

cjk2 2y ago
Yeah this. I only shot an win32 c++ win32 desktop app I compiled for NT4 in 1999 about 2 years ago and that was running on Windows Server 2016 fine. It was resurrected earlier this year again. futzed a bit by someone else to fix some deprecated windows APIs, couple of bugs fixed, recompiled and is now 64 bit on windows server 2022. 150kloc took a day to fix for someone.

tempnow987 2y ago

You can run windows programs from the literal dark ages on Windows 11 Enterprise. In government at least this is a big deal. Will binaries from 15 years ago run on SUSE Linux? Somehow I doubt it. I've seen hardware utilities that look like pre Windows 95 programs running on modern windows? Is that sound possible?

pooper 2y ago
> Will binaries from 15 years ago run on SUSE Linux? If it is important enough, the government should demand ownership of the source code, not just take some binary and call it a day.
vbezhenar 2y ago
Linux kernel API is stable. Why wouldn’t you able to run properly written program from 2009? I’m pretty sure it’ll run just fine.
- Macha 2y ago
  glibc on the other hand is very much not.
  - vbezhenar 2y ago
    glibc is backwards-compatible as well.
    - okanat 2y ago
      Until it isn't. https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Proton/issues/6051 https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Proton/issues/6051 No glibc will not fix it and the rolling release distros are now patching their libc. Here is the list of ABI breaking changes: https://abi-laboratory.pro/?view=timeline&l=glibc https://abi-laboratory.pro/?view=timeline&l=glibc Also a system layer isn't just the C library. Other core Linux libraries often break their ABI too.

yjftsjthsd-h 2y ago

Perhaps the more direct comparison is RHEL with 10 years of normal support and more if you're willing to pay more ( https://www.redhat.com/en/resources/els-datasheet https://www.redhat.com/en/resources/els-datasheet ) and Ubuntu with... looks like 5-12 years depending on how much you pay?