Windows for Warships

[tycho102]

Originally Posted by The Avon Lady

I don't necessarily see a better alternative.

Fighter jets tend to run their own operating system, which is manufactured at the same time as the hardware is designed. Hand-tweaked binary operating system. However, the idea with boats is they'll keep floating even if it blue-screens -- jets tend to un-float.

I'll also point out that Windows NT has pulled whatever the highest security classification (class 7? class 5?) is for confidental work -- but they removed the entire networking stack (absolutely no networking functionality left in the OS). Since that ship is going to be networked by satellite link, it's eventually going to get hacked or crash.

[lesrae]

In general this is a cost issue - hand crafted, unique, un-hackable code written by ubergeeks costs money - much cheaper to use MS based apps to run everything. You can blame the taxpayer who wants less council tax and VAT, cheaper booze, fags and petrol for that one - the cuts have to come from somewhere and defence is, and always has been, a classic target.

Remember that these systems are not accessible from the internet or even the MoDs own intranet, comms are with highly secured stand alone systems ashore. It doesn't even talk to the network I work with onboard, which is for office automation and general pupose use.

[SUBMAN1]

Originally Posted by lesrae

In general this is a cost issue - hand crafted, unique, un-hackable code written by ubergeeks costs money - much cheaper to use MS based apps to run everything. You can blame the taxpayer who wants less council tax and VAT, cheaper booze, fags and petrol for that one - the cuts have to come from somewhere and defence is, and always has been, a classic target.

Remember that these systems are not accessible from the internet or even the MoDs own intranet, comms are with highly secured stand alone systems ashore. It doesn't even talk to the network I work with onboard, which is for office automation and general pupose use.

Linux is cheaper and more secure

And before you say anything is secure, I saw hacked predator feeds the other day on the internet.

[lesrae]

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

Linux is cheaper and more secure

And before you say anything is secure, I saw hacked predator feeds the other day on the internet.

Agreed, but globally there is more knowledge, support and expertise for MS products (which, by sods law, makes it less secure) - the MoD either used tried and trusted technology or custom built stuff.

I've no idea what predator feeds are I'm afraid, not my part of ship - unless you mean:

[kiwi_2005]

Nice one Noob! :rotfl:

This is gonna be a funny thread!

I would think Linux would be the wise choice. Watch. Major problems will happen in the near future causing the Navy to dump windows.

[XabbaRus]

I read this ages ago. Apparently on the navweaps message board where I first saw this and on some others some RN and ex RN guys don' hold the guy who runs the register in very high esteem.

One it isn't XP but Windows ME, two from what I understand it is a custom developed version and the RN isn't the first so I think we should see how it pans out. AFAIK the Traffies have been running such a system for some time now.