Is the $ really required for server software

[bbates]

Currently I have a peer to peer setup at my home. What I would like to do is have all applications/files on one machine tucked away somewhere out of sight and be able to use a plain jane system for working and access to internet.
Is the "Server Software" really required? I can remember years back with a few dos networks, public domain at that, where there was no problems with running software from a remote machice. I do remember them saying you needed to pay more for the applications to use them that way but they still worked.
Did we loose that functionality with the advance of our operating systems?
I do have Server Software comming but is it really needed?
My current systems are Win2k Win98SE that work great and some applications actually will run from one maching to the other but on the big stuff there seems to be a .dll missing or some other error. Big stuff is like Outlook or Quciken.
Any knowledgeable comments or suggestions greatly appreciated.

Bill

 

[Nothinman]

You could always use Linux and get around the MS Server costs.

Certain things do require Server versions of the software, sharing files is not one of them. Although with Pro versions you're limited to 10 concurrent connections. Running Windows software from a networked server is, 9 times out of 10, more work than it's worth because Windows programs aren't written with that in mind and the OS isn't flexible enough to make it transparent to them. You could use Terminal Services, but you definately need Server for that.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Windows 95-on, software usually sets up entries in the registry when it is installed and as you set preferences, etc. Many installs also update system dlls (if needed) and install custom dlls/components.

In the DOS days, the setup programs created a single folder and dumped all files into it, and there was no registry or shared dlls.

You could use file sharing to install most of the files for an app to a networked drive on another computer, but this just saves space it doesn't allow sharing. For _some_ applications you can sort of share that networked druve by haivng 2 computers both install the same application to the same networked folder, but vendors don't test this so it may or may not work.

If you want a clean surf-machine to protect your work machine, one option is to dual-partition dual-boot the machine. I do this on my main PC with a W9SE C: partition and a W2KPro C: partition (using partition magic + boot magic).

 

[bbates]

Thank you both for response. For what the question was asking both of the response's were able to answer/confirm my thoughts but I "was hoping" there was a work around.
I do have two server packages coming and hopefully the second one will be here this week. Going to put lots of reading and learning time to practical experience time I hope.
Again, thanks to the both of you for responding. I'm sure that others who are just reading as I normally do will gain insight into the why and why nots as I did.
Bill