2003 server / XP pro differences?

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Originally posted here by guardian alpha
See guys, the big thing is this. Win2k3 server is also fit as a very viable desktop, and it's been proven time and time again. In fact, I can't think of a single thing 2k3 doesn't have that xp has. It's quite the other way around, with win2k3 having a plethora of thigns that windows xp will not have. Turning windows 2003 server into a stable and fast workstation takes less than five minutes, and you still get identical functionality of XP with the new 5.1 kernel stability/speed.

However, my MAIN concern is not if it can be a desktop. I know it can be a damn good workstation :) My concern is how well it handles directX/opengl cause and latency timing. The NT 5.1 kernel has a lot of optimizations and code streamlines to improve the system overall, so I would assume this also may mean better FPS for gaming.

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Its not really a viable workstation or desktop because of the price. What business or individual in their right mind would buy a $1000 OS for a workstation? Lot easier on the budget to get a $300 OS.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserv...g/pricing.mspx

http://www.microsoft.com/products/in...e-55ca8ec542d5

Pricing isn't an issue because they offer it for a free 180 day trial of 2003 Server enterprise edition. Combine that with student pricing.

Also, SDK, they don't run on the same codebase. Not only is the kernel different (5.1 instead of xp's 5.0) but a LOT of system files and dll's have been reprogrammed for streamlined use. I'll be benchmarking 3dgames later to show the difference, and see if I get results like others on the net (with 2k3 having improved fps by the just the upgraded kernel alone)

Also note that I am using the 32 bit version of 2003, SDK, NOT the 64 bit version.

Do you have factual links concerning the XP 5.0 and the W2K3 5.1 kernel changes? Or that point to a kernel change? I'm simply curious and would like to read it. (Searching the net I came up empty handed).

You can get student pricing on Windows 2003 Server???

According to: http://www.microsoft.com/Education/StudentSelect.aspx

Student licenses* are currently available for:
• Microsoft® Office Standard Edition 2003
• Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003
• Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac Standard Edition
• Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac Professional Edition
• Microsoft Windows® XP Professional Upgrade** **means not a full version

According to: http://www.microsoft.com/Education/A...Discounts.aspx

Featured Academic Edition Products are:
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional Edition Upgrade with SP2, Part number: E85-02670
U.S. Estimated Retail Price: $99.95
• Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003, Part number: 269-06753
U.S. Estimated Retail Price: $199.00
• Microsoft Office OneNote® 2003, Part number: S26-00163
U.S. Estimated Retail Price: $49.95
• Microsoft Exchange Server Standard Edition 2003 with 5 Client Access Licenses (CALs)
Part number: 312-02614
U.S. Estimated Retail Price: $779.00
• Microsoft Visual Studio .NET Professional Edition 2003, Part number: 659-01132
U.S. Estimated Retail Price: $99.95

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Originally posted here by guardian alpha
Pricing isn't an issue because they offer it for a free 180 day trial of 2003 Server enterprise edition. Combine that with student pricing.

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There is no student pricing for Windows 2003 server. As stated above, there are educational discounts for things like exchange if you are part of a education insitution.

As for the 180 day trial you cannot use it in a production enviroment legally.

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DESCRIPTION OF OTHER RIGHTS AND LIMITATIONS

• Not for Production Use. You may not demonstrate, test, examine, evaluate or otherwise use the Software in a live operating environment or with data that has not been sufficiently backed up.

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http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserv...rial/eula.mspx

So buying the $1000 OS would be the only legal way to use it as a desktop system. Who wants to format their system every 180 days anyway. Not me.

Wow, everyone is out to get me on this? And just like most people feel windows can't be made secure, people here will come to understand that windows 2003 can be made into a hell of a workstation.

First, documentation on the kernel 5.1 improvements as requested:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserv...e/scaling.mspx
http://www.directionsonmicrosoft.com...0803piiws2.htm
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserv...e/default.mspx

Those are the ones I can find in a brief search, will post more links later if I'm bored. And as for the student pricing, I don't get it from MS. My college purchases in bulk with a contract from MS and thus we get them at our school student discout. They bite the bullet on it a chunk of the price because they encourage the learning/use of multiple Operating Systems regardless of version type.

Now, for the love of God, lay off the pricing. I never asked about the pricing, and as I just explained in my previous paragraphs... I didn't ask because I already know about the pricing :)

edit: more on kernel modification for 2003

http://insight.zdnet.co.uk/software/...2133899,00.htm
http://toastytech.com/guis/srv2k3.html

Also note this in my useragent (not to mention the kernel version is plastered on most dll's): UserAgent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1)

1) Nobody is out to get you. Your lack of Neg points shows that.
2) Nobody is saying Win2K3 server cannot be dumbed down to workstation status.
3) Let us know if your institution gives breaks on Win2K3 server. I might want to take a night course. ;)
4) Thanks for the links, as I said I could not find any. I will read them.
5) Read item #1 again.

:D

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Now, for the love of God, lay off the pricing. I never asked about the pricing, and as I just explained in my previous paragraphs... I didn't ask because I already know about the pricing

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Pricing is in my book one of the main reasons that you would not want to use it as a desktop OS. (Besides all the add on components that you would not use that could be exploited in some way if not uninstalled)

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Those are the ones I can find in a brief search, will post more links later if I'm bored. And as for the student pricing, I don't get it from MS. My college purchases in bulk with a contract from MS and thus we get them at our school student discout. They bite the bullet on it a chunk of the price because they encourage the learning/use of multiple Operating Systems regardless of version type.

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In your situation this might work, but the next noob that looks at this thread might want to know.

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Besides all the add on components that you would not use that could be exploited in some way if not uninstalled

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So turn off the services :) XP and 2003 have almost identical service listings, save an item or two that xp just doesn't have. Those one or two things ... how in the hell are they going to be exploited on a desktop that is behind (typical user) a firewall with stateful filtering and with the services not running in the first place? And just like with UNIX V services, a non-admin can NOT suddenly turn on or have access to the services within the 2003 enviroment.

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In your situation this might work, but the next noob that looks at this thread might want to know.

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It's too late for the thread to turn bad, because it has. Everyone seems to think OMFGBBQ windows 2003 will have no edge over XP, despite the documented kernel and system file changes to NTFS and file-system handling. Except gore. Strangley enough gore is the good guy here, encouraging the transformation of 2003 into a hell of a desktop.

So, thank you all for your wonderful insights, but I'm going to benchmark 2003 compared to XP and report the difference in results.

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Originally posted here by guardian alpha

It's too late for the thread to turn bad, because it has. Everyone seems to think OMFGBBQ windows 2003 will have no edge over XP, despite the documented kernel and system file changes to NTFS and file-system handling. Except gore. Strangley enough gore is the good guy here, encouraging the transformation of 2003 into a hell of a desktop.

So, thank you all for your wonderful insights, but I'm going to benchmark 2003 compared to XP and report the difference in results.

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Look, we dont disagree with you. I do agree that Win2k3 does have potential over XP as a desktop system. But, as far as the common person doing that practically, I would not see it due to price and what I mentioned above. Geeks are another story. I would love to see some gaming and other app benchmarks. What do you plan to use to benmark the systems? Same hardware? If your really interested in doing a full benchmark, PM me as I might be interested in helping.

I also think that just because a thread has some disagreement in it does not mean it has gone bad.

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What do you plan to use to benmark the systems?

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Sisoft sandra for normal system stress-testing, and 3dmark for 3d fps testing.

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Same hardware? If your really interested in doing a full benchmark, PM me as I might be interested in helping.

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Same exact computer. Won't need any assistance in it, really. But both operating systems are going to be configured and optimized in the strongest ways I know how. While this mostly entails the obvious service disabling, maybe a ntfs tweak here and there, the systems will end up almost identical in configuration options.

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I also think that just because a thread has some disagreement in it does not mean it has gone bad.

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It's not that people disagreed, that part is fine. It's that only one person really answered my origonal questions, while the rest someone got caught up in their opinion without stating that they may have used/never used it before, and then pricing. If someone reading this thread later ends up thinking 2003 is a great idea for desktop, do you honestly think they won't change their mind once they finally see what price it is in stores/webstores? Even moreso, how many people reading this thread in the future and deciding to use 2003 will even bother to purchase a legal version?