[lug] OT: netware

[Nate Duehr]

On Feb 27, 2004, at 12:51 AM, Zan Lynx wrote:

> On Fri, 2004-02-27 at 00:45, hugh at math.byu.edu wrote:
>> So Netware is an operating system in it's own right?  It's not just a
>> bunch of software written on top of DOS?
>
> DOS is basically the bootloader for Netware.  I haven't used it since
> versions 3 and 4, but that's how it was then.  DOS is shoved out of the
> way and Netware does all the memory management and I/O with its own
> drivers.

Netware 3 and 4 (they're far beyond this now) were probably also the 
single most stable network OS's I've ever worked on.  Far ahead of its 
time many years ago, there are still deployments of Netware hidden here 
and there at many companies.

Microsoft products were touted as "easier" and many perfectly working 
Netware environments were torn down to make way for Windows "New 
Technology" (NT) back then... sigh... and then came the pricing wars...

hint: cheaper isn't always better, but the same guy that knows that 
buying his car will act completely irrationally when it comes to 
per-seat licensing of desktop technology.  Ever see an executive 
driving a Hyundai?  Nooo... but they'll often settle for one on the 
desktop.

I worked on a system that completely maxed out a 100 Mb/s ethernet hub 
back when those were NEW TECH and you had to decide between 100TX or 
100VG because the standard wasn't set yet!  And it was comprised of a 
Novell server and ten clients.  It ran 24/7 for three years with only 
two scheduled down-times and one power outage.  That eleven machine 
Novell 3.12 system (back then we had to load QEMM - a DOS memory 
manager to handle "HIGH" memory... eeek, nightmares!) was part of a 
telephony application that used DOS drivers, Dialogic cards, and kept a 
steady revenue stream of $40 million a year coming in ... all long 
before the phrase "VoIP" was coined.  SunOS was impossible -- couldn't 
interface to the telephony network -- and that left WinNT 3 or 
Novell... well, that decision at least, was a no-brainer back then.

And of course, I was the $8/hour tech who has ZERO clue back then about 
the financial aspect... just happily maintaining boxes... good 
memories.  What?  If the system's down you'll pay me OVERTIME and BUY 
MY DINNER?  WOW!   WHAT A JOB!!!  (Chuckle...)

IPX truly was (and still is) a pain the rump if you need to route it 
and do not have a flat network architecture.  But it was hmm, how shall 
I put this... "pre-tweaked" to whallop the crap (speed and 
throughput-wise) out of an IP-based network back then.  Man it was 
fast.

Stuff like Microsoft's "SMS" and other gadgetry were all thought up and 
WORKING on Novell networks in  those days.  Login scripting, control of 
the client machine, remote upgrades, all stuff Novell was doing when 
Win NT 3 was just hitting the shrink wrap.  The whole Windows Domain 
Controller idea came about because Novell's directory/user access 
system kicked Windows in the head, repeatedly and often.  They really 
put out nice software back then.

I was filled with great joy to hear about the Novell/SuSE deal... two 
high-quality software companies merging can only mean good things -- 
now let's just hope the PHB's who drool (and look for the rainbow in 
the drool line) over Microsoft products and pretty PowerPoint slides 
actually get a chance to see the results of the merger... hint: NOVELL! 
  SUSE!  DON'T FORGET THE MARKETING BUDGET!  THEY LIKE GOLF TEES AND 
CRAP LIKE THAT.  (LOL!  I feel a game of Buzzword Bingo coming on!)

IBM seems to have caught on ... SuperBowl Ads, etc.

It warms my heart to see medium-sized companies deciding they can't 
afford to upgrade from Win2K to XP and dragging their feet for as long 
as possible and beating up their sales reps for better pricing per 
seat.  XP is definitely better software than Win2K, but companies are 
finally doing double-takes and sitting back waiting to see what 
develops for alternatives!

What interesting times!

Wow, just think -- only another 30 years in this industry and I can 
hang out the "Gone Fish'n" sign and not care anymore.  ;-)

(My sarcastic side is prodding me to mention that while I was writing 
this, I was sitting here thinking, "Hey... if Novell can make a 
come-back, maybe it's time to start a grass-roots -- I love Token-Ring! 
-- secret-society and start marketing THAT again too!")

This industry sure has one feeling like an "old-fart" far too soon on 
the human life timeline, that's for sure.  Anyone who lived through the 
days of loading DOS Novell 3.x drivers underneath Windows for 
Warehouses.... Ahem... Windows for Workgroups and making the network 
work, has my deepest sympathies.  Been there, done that... obviously 
have the permanent mental scars.

Meanwhile to give this some SLIGHT possibility of being on-topic... 
Linux does a fine job of IPX.  Has for many years now... and Appletalk, 
and... hmmm... did anyone ever do a Banyan-compatibility mode in Linux? 
  Now I'm off to Google... Banyan Vines + Linux... <sputter, cough... 
ACK!>  (As Bill the Cat, would have said...)

Nate Duehr, nate at natetech.com