BKWNTUNX.RVW   980607

"Windows NT and UNIX", G. Robert Williams/Ellen Beck Gardner, 1998,
0-201-18536-9, U$49.95/C$69.95
%A   G. Robert Williams
%A   Ellen Beck Gardner
%C   P.O. Box 520, 26 Prince Andrew Place, Don Mills, Ontario M3C 2T8
%D   1998
%G   0-201-18536-9
%I   Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.
%O   U$49.95/C$69.95 416-447-5101 fax: 416-443-0948 bkexpress@aw.com
%P   738 p.
%T   "Windows NT and UNIX"

There is a need for material to help integrate UNIX and Windows NT
systems.  UNIX has a strong place in legacy, production, and
development environments.  NT is gaining strong presence on the
desktop and in network services.  While almost all concepts are common
between the two systems, terminology and operations are not.

Part one is an introduction to both systems.  Chapter one is a brief
rationale for the existence of the book; perhaps an extension of the
preface.  The short overview of the OSes in chapter two is intended to
present them as relatively equal, with assorted strengths and
weaknesses.  On UNIX this seems to work well, but the material on NT
looks as if it was pulled from press releases, and weakens the section
overall.  This, unfortunately, sets the tone for the book.  It is
difficult to say whether the weakness of the NT content stems from a
failing of the operating system itself, or the inability of the
authors to present the case for Microsoft effectively.  If the latter
is true it would be ironic, since a fairly obvious intent of the book
is to picture NT as equal or superior to UNIX.

Part two reviews system administration.  There are three chapters for
each of the operating systems; dealing first with the structure,
process activity, and user interaction; next with common
administrative tasks; and finally with additional topics.  Again, UNIX
seems to have a significant advantage in the material.  In one third
less space, the UNIX chapters provide clear and lucid explanations of
the structure and administration, complete with basic tools to
accomplish the tasks.  NT's labyrinthine composition defies a
straightforward exposition, and while various tools are presented,
their effective use remains largely a mystery.  The additional chapter
on extra topics allows UNIX to include such add-ons as the vi text
editor, while NT struggles vainly to play catchup with pieces missing
from the earlier material.

Part three looks at coexistence and migration.  However, chapter nine
makes it clear that the primary consideration here is the replacement
of UNIX by NT.  Integration of the two systems in chapter ten is not
completely limited to terminal emulation, but the reality is that
little more is presented in practical terms.  Once again, porting of
applications from UNIX to NT is the thrust of chapter eleven.

The integration spoken of in part four appears to be restricted to
network connectivity.  (In addition, these chapters have been
contributed from other authors.)  Chapter twelve deals with TCP/IP
internals.  TCP/IP network configuration in chapter thirteen is mostly
limited to NT.  The explanation of SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer
Protocol) in chapter fourteen is very good, although the review of
mail transfer agent setup is less so, and mostly limited to MS
Exchange.  The discussion of Web servers is again limited to generics
and NT in chapter fifteen.

For those who are familiar with NT and must integrate with UNIX, this
book does provide a solid and functional background--but there are
other texts that are better.  For those who come from the UNIX side,
the book gives a very limited introduction to NT, and many other books
are far better.  For those working with, and integrating, the two
systems, very little in the book helps with crossover references or
practical assistance with connectivity and management.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 1998   BKWNTUNX.RVW   980607