I haven't used Windows in 10+ years, so I've got some questions for those who are smarter than me on the subject of Windows:
Does it come with package management yet? Can I easily avoid DLL hell these days? Can I add my own local repository and use it to maintain a fleet of workstations, making sure they always have the same configuration no matter what?
Is it easily possible to connect to a Windows machine and administer it from a command line/scripting environment? Can I disable the GUI and use Windows without tying up resources for unneeded functionality - i.e. no graphics card required?
Is all of this onboard, or does some/most of it require the involvement of a 3rd-party add-on? If its not onboard, can I validate that 3rd-party with signed keys? Is there an onboard key agent that will make this possible?
Is there an easy way to get a compiler onboard without requiring registration and so on, or does it ship with development tools already set up and configured? Are these tools usable without requiring GUI involvement - i.e. remotely?
These are earnest questions, I honestly don't know. If the majority of the answers are in the affirmative, then I'll give Windows 10 a try - it would make a nice change from what I've gotten used to with my Linux machine.
No. There is the Windows Store (all or most Metro apps, GUI) and things like NuGet for Visual Studio, but that's not what you're looking for. There are third-party solutions.
[EDIT: See sibling comments; W10 adds one.]
> Can I easily avoid DLL hell these days?
DLL Hell is no longer a concern. It's not a matter of avoiding it, it won't happen except perhaps in very unusual edge cases I'm not familiar with.
> Can I add my own local repository and use it to maintain a fleet of workstations, making sure they always have the same configuration no matter what?
You can do this. This is one reason Windows is so big in enterprise.
> Is it easily possible to connect to a Windows machine and administer it from a command line/scripting environment?
Yes.
> Can I disable the GUI and use Windows without tying up resources for unneeded functionality - i.e. no graphics card required?
In Server 2012 onwards, the GUI is optional.
> If its not onboard, can I validate that 3rd-party with signed keys? Is there an onboard key agent that will make this possible?
I am not 100% on what you want, but yes, Windows executables are commonly signed and that is integrated with the OS.
> Is there an easy way to get a compiler onboard without requiring registration and so on, or does it ship with development tools already set up and configured?
Windows does not ship with a compiler or other developer tools installed. You can install Visual Studio 2013 Community Edition, which has all the features of Professional Edition, for free and without registration (afaik - I'm doing it right now, so if I'm wrong, I'll edit). You can of course install all the free-software development tools you want. Most tools support Windows reasonably well.
> Are these tools usable without requiring GUI involvement - i.e. remotely?
Yes, although most people don't do so. I've only fiddled around. I've heard that manually fiddling with msbuild is actually more pleasant than using the GUI.
>You can install Visual Studio 2013 Community Edition,
If you prefer to use the compiler and build system at the command line and you're only interested in managed development (i.e., C#), you can download the Microsoft Build tools package[1], which contains the compilers and MSBuild for headless development.
Thanks for taking the time to reply - it seems that Windows is not quite caught up with the usability/experience that I've become accustomed to with Linux after 15+ years. I might take some time to learn about Windows 10 when its released, but it appears that it may not be worth the hassle ... I'm a Linux/embedded developer and have become quite accustomed to the serviceability of Linux. I think, based on your response, I would probably end up just getting frustrated with Windows.
DLL hell was replaced by >20GB WinSxS directory. Every version of every single DLL, regardless if you ever used or will use one. Stored forever, with no usage stats, no mechanism of trimming, no archive option for never used ones. Introduced just in time to fill ~$40 worth of SSD with data that will NEVER EVER be read again.
Yes, it just stores every version on the drive, seems to work
> Can I add my own local repository and use it to maintain a fleet of workstations, making sure they always have the same configuration no matter what?
For free? not easily.
> Is it easily possible to connect to a Windows machine and administer it from a command line/scripting environment?
Powershell does a lot more on this front
> Can I disable the GUI and use Windows without tying up resources for unneeded functionality - i.e. no graphics card required?
Considering Windows Server Core still has a GUI? no.
> does it ship with development tools already set up and configured?
Thanks - so it seems Windows is not competitive with my 15+ years of experience with Linux. I would have thought that would have changed by now, but I guess its just different.
Does it come with package management yet? Can I easily avoid DLL hell these days? Can I add my own local repository and use it to maintain a fleet of workstations, making sure they always have the same configuration no matter what?
Is it easily possible to connect to a Windows machine and administer it from a command line/scripting environment? Can I disable the GUI and use Windows without tying up resources for unneeded functionality - i.e. no graphics card required?
Is all of this onboard, or does some/most of it require the involvement of a 3rd-party add-on? If its not onboard, can I validate that 3rd-party with signed keys? Is there an onboard key agent that will make this possible?
Is there an easy way to get a compiler onboard without requiring registration and so on, or does it ship with development tools already set up and configured? Are these tools usable without requiring GUI involvement - i.e. remotely?
These are earnest questions, I honestly don't know. If the majority of the answers are in the affirmative, then I'll give Windows 10 a try - it would make a nice change from what I've gotten used to with my Linux machine.