Linux tests
So, what-do-you know? A reconstruction of the carefully set up Microsoft-sponsored tests (Linux loses, July 1) show that NT (prop: Microsoft Corp) is better than Linux (prop: nobody and everybody).
Of course, there are probably a few articles that you hadn't seen. The first is by Christopher Lansdown, explaining why the results don't actually matter because the numbers involved are so high that they are talking about web-serving at incredibly high bandwidths. See http://cs.alfred.edu/~lansdoct/mstest.html.
The second concerns a set of benchmarks performed by the German computer magazine c't in which they compare NT and Linux web serving under a variety of real-world conditions. In these, Linux consistently outperforms NT when tested using static pages both cached and non- cached in system memory, and blazes ahead when considering the use of dynamic content using CGI. See www.heise.de/ct/english/99/13/186-1.
Tristan Roddis
London W1R 9WB
Two important points can be deduced from the results of these tests. Even on the less powerful machines, both Linux and NT could handle bandwidths above 100 Mbps. It is unlikely, therefore, that the choice between these operating systems would ever be the limiting factor in the responsiveness of a website.
Second, the tests were carried out using static pages, which means the results are largely irrelevant to most commercial situations. The main problem with speed tests of webservers is that real-world speed is governed more by database technologies and bandwidth than by either operating system or server application.
Nigel Wetters
Earlsfield, SW18 4RY
Right idea
I was interested to read that Chinese users insist that all the necessary applications ready to be used immediately when they buy a PC or Mac.
Would that we could insist in the west. Roll on the day when we can buy a computer and start using it as with a car! There is certainly a niche for Liu Chuanzhi in the west.
Mary McKenna
Mim@sheffield.ac.uk
Flame again
Flame Grilling by Heather Welford, (Online, July 1) is IMHO an outstanding example of ignorant journalism.
Heather stands astonished at reported encounters with Rude Newsgroup Person, who dares to be rude to a "home-based mother-of-three" ("Well I never, wouldn't be so bad if he'd slagged off a single man working from an office without a hyphen to his name...") So which newsgroups does this cyberdemon inhabit? "Read any newsgroup.... and you'll soon spot it..." Heather gushes.
Any newsgroup? Come on, Heather, how many have you read? Newsgroups reflect society - if you read a newsgroup called uk.abuse.nerds you will find abuse.
If you read one dedicated to erudite comment on a specialist subject, that's what you get. Have a look at, let's say, rec.music.makers. squeezebox.
It might send you to sleep, but it's not rude.
Max Rankin
Holmbury St Mary, Surrey
