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Windows Home Server Beta 2 open to the public
Announced back at CES, Microsoft is holding an open beta for Windows Home Server Beta 2, given of course that you meet their criteria. As long as you have 2 or more PCs, a broadband connection (with a router, of course), and a spare PC kicking around, you may very well qualify as a Windows Home Server guinea pig.
Windows Home Server is a very interesting concept, and I'm curious to see how it will play out in the market. Maybe I'm just a jaded, cynical,communist Linux user, but I can't see any compelling reason for someone to drop a few Benjamins on WHS when they could easily turn that doorstop of an old PC into a robust file server (and much more) with Linux. Granted, Linux in many cases is not as 'user friendly' as Windows, however I would assume that someone who is of adequate skill level to setup and administer Windows Home Server could handle setting up Fedora or Ubuntu. However, I'm still curious to see what Windows Home Server holds--it may just prove me wrong.
The beta is only open to a limited number of testers, so if you are itching to get your hands on WHS, I suggest you sign up quickly.
Windows Home Server is a very interesting concept, and I'm curious to see how it will play out in the market. Maybe I'm just a jaded, cynical,
The beta is only open to a limited number of testers, so if you are itching to get your hands on WHS, I suggest you sign up quickly.
[via CNet News.com]
Comments
7
Subscribe to commentsMarkoFeb 13th 2007 5:15PM
I doubt the average home user even knows what a file server is, yet alone need one.
Kyle RempFeb 13th 2007 9:30PM
So I must admit, however painfully, that I am one of those guys who is intimidated by Linux. I have no problem dabbling in Windows Access databases, playing around with some minor C# programming, and setting up wireless pseudo servers/fileshares with windows XP. I am open to Linux, and have even messed around with installing Apache on my machine locally to play around with it. I guess I'm looking for a good all-encompassing start to the world of Linux and a quick and direct application of the technology that I could use to compliment all of the work I do, and others I support do, in the Windows environment.
Andrew FongFeb 13th 2007 11:21PM
Read the Paul Thurrot article on Windows Home Server: http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/whs_preview.asp . It makes it clear that it's a KISS product targetted at mom and dad, not someone who knows how to set up a server on Linux.
hazardFeb 14th 2007 6:48AM
Andrew, Andrew .. I think you [seriously] misunderstood the gist of Paul's article. The quotes .. "Enthusiasts are going to eat this thing up" .. "I can't wait to get this thing up and running in my home" somehow indicate's to me that he thinks it's not just "targetted at mom and dad".
also don't be hating KISS .. it's my ethos as a developer for both interface AND code and not easy to achiveve.
personally server admin shits me to tears so more time I have on app development the better.
MonkeyAttackFeb 14th 2007 11:09AM
I think as a basic file server, Linux is a great, economical choice. As a desktop backup its a little more work. I've done everything from scripted smb copies, to Rsync, to Amanda on Linux, and they are good, but not the most user friendly things in the world.
Also, the big advantage for a lot of people is the restore process. Being able to boot from a custom restore cd and restore your machine to an up and running state from a remote backup is great for home users and small offices.
Chris BrentanoFeb 14th 2007 3:29PM
Andrew: I think you misunderstood Paul Thurott's review. Unless your Mom is Gina Trapani and your Dad is Jordan Running, your parents aren't going to have any interest (let alone skill) in setting up WHS (or any server, for that matter). It might be simple from an advanced user's perspective, but certainly not from an 'ordinary' end user perspective.
Even if their intent is to get the 'ordinary' folks to buy and use Windows Home Server, the reality (I believe) is that only Power Users are going to be genuinely interested in WHS. Odds are the 'ordinary' people who do buy a WHS machine will have been sold one by a salesperson at Circuit City or Best Buy, and will probably even procure their services to configure the box.
Somewhere, there's a VCR blinking 12:00:00...
Andrew FongFeb 14th 2007 9:48PM
Are we reading the same article? I quote:
"Microsoft feels like it's arrived at an interface that is simple enough 'even for mom' while being powerful enough for even the most jaded power user."
Buy a server with WHS preinstalled. Plug it into the network. Insert CD into computers that need backing up. Run wizard.
I realize this isn't everyone, but anyone who knows how to install software can do this, and it's a thousand times easier than Linux simply because the words "command line" or "console" never show up. Yes, it will attract power users, but its primary market (where it makes a profit) will be mom and dad (or the son who wants an automated backup solution for home and doesn't have time to figure out how to use Linux).
I have nothing against KISS. On the contrary, I think WHS is an excellent, long overdue idea.