Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!barryf
From: barryf@aix01.aix.rpi.edu (Barry B. Floyd)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.nfs
Subject: Re: Sun PC-NFS deficiencies
Message-ID: <1?*=6K{@rpi.edu>
Date: 15 Mar 91 17:07:06 GMT
References: <1991Mar14.015814.1341@amd.com> <2623@travis.csd.harris.com> <1991Mar14.202556.6734@phri.nyu.edu> <1991Mar15.075917.1547@casbah.acns.nwu.edu>
Lines: 59
Nntp-Posting-Host: aix01srv.aix.rpi.edu


This has been by far the most prolific and interesting bit of network
discussion I have seen on Usenet. I have only been reading it for a month
or two, do these sort of flare ups occur regularly?
 
I forget whether or not my Novell LAN WorkPlace product announcement article
was included in comp.protocols.nfs. None-the-less, for Phil (who must own
stock in Novell and HP) I repeat: Volume of sales does not equate to 
industry standard. There are defacto standards (i.e. equated to volume of
sales) and there are industry standards (i.e. equated to RFC's). RFC's
provide sufficient technical detail for any two vendors to develop and
distribute compatible (i.e. standard) products to the extent that they
conform to the "minimum" standards documented in the relavent RFC's.
 
Novell, in its product literature for LAN WorkPlace, dedicated 30%-50% of
a double-sided glossy fact sheet to "declarations" pertaining to industry
standards. It dedicated less than 5% of space to "declarations" pertaining
to compatibility with Novell's proprietary fantastically popular PC-centric
product. IMHO, it appears that Novell is targeting LAN WorkPlace to everyone
(else) who hasn't bought into their proprietary PC-centric LAN solution.
My guess is that Novell's rate of growth within their original market niche
has dropped off tremendously (i.e. saturation?) and they realize that      
Unix-philes have about as much disdain for a PC-centric solution (standard
or not) as you (and other PC-centric types) have for Unix/non-PC solutions.
Also consider that TCP/IP is very well entrenched outside of the PC market
place (as much if not more than Novell is entrenched within the PC market
place). Furthermore, TCP/IP has an heir apparent in OSI and is party to
a policy of public design and development of future heirs (e.g. TSI -
Transcendental System Integration...let the system read your mind!).
 
Finally, its seems like wasted effort, making heated and inflammatory
statements about any given solution. Most of us realize and willingly
recognize the value of Novell and its PC-centric solution. Many realize
that Novell is making all due effort (to the extent that the profit
motive is sufficient) to broaden its scope of applicability. It should be
similarly recognized that non-PC-centric solutions coming from Novell
are new to the market and may or may not be Novell's (except by aquisition).
Newer products tend to be less stable than more mature products, and as
such this should also be considered in any evaluation process. Sun PC-NFS (tm)
and Sun are not perfect either. NFS in general has its strengths, not 
least of which is its maturity in a non-PC environment.
 
So, where does this leave the great debate? In short - to each their own,
taking into consideration the numerous "givens" which come with our jobs.
 
barry

ps

Unless the tone and content of articles from certain authors become
less myopic and inflammetory I personally will make it a policy to skip
those articles. Apologies to others for this less than professional   
post-script. 

-- 
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+ 
| Barry B. Floyd                   \\\       barry_floyd@mts.rpi.edu |
| Manager Information Systems - HR    \\\          usere9w9@rpitsmts |
+-Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute--------------------troy, ny 12180-+