I didn't go into detail in the article, but the server in question is running a Supermicro X10SLH-F-O motherboard, ECC RAM, and a Haswell CPU, in a Rosewill RSV-L4411 4U chassis. Is there a hardware problem here? For sure. But you can't write this off as being some dusty overclock mess bought at someone's garage sale.
I have, incidentally, seen this in corporate environments on traditionally-engineered sever-class hardware as well. This is just a much more easily-discussed case.
I never said Debian comes out on top. In fact, I went out of my way to say "use the right tool for the job." There are cases where FreeBSD is better and cases where Debian is better. To take something as complex as a modern operating system and say one or the other is always better would be foolish.
But, to address the questions: suspend does work out of the box for many laptops on Debian, including suspend on lid close, and has for years.
ZFS as a volume manager - I specifically addressed this. ZFS is not a suitable volume manager for everyone because it is fairly rigid once a zpool is set up. You cannot expand a raidz1 nearly as easily as a RAID-5 in Linux. (You have a stripe the data across another storage group.) You can't shrink a zpool at all. These are limitations that matter in some, but not all, setups.
Support of alien filesystems may be irrelevant for many servers, but it is not for all. But anyhow, people use an OS for more than just servers.
Virtualization -- believe it or not, there are people that need ways to run Windows. Sometimes a whole lot of Windows.
Dropbox -- lacking something that can to instant auto-syncs is a feature? That's pretty presumptious.
There is a big difference on desktop environments and configuration. Install Debian and with a simple selection of "desktop environment", it boots up into a working DE. FreeBSD -- not so much. Install a bunch of packages, exit some polkit and hal files, and then you'll get there. Well, if you thought to run pkg inside typescript so you see what pkla files to edit.
But with the CD route, I trust them with something that cost a few cents, and with an interface they already know (play, stop, and next track buttons). Way easier for them and far fewer consequences for trips or spilled water!
Absolutely I do. See my blog for examples. The other stuff is more important than the computer, and they spend far more time outside than they do at the computer. One of their favorite activities is to build their own river systems using a slow trickle of water out of a hose & pipe onto a small mound of dirt.
I have fond memories of doing things with my dad -- he once let me dismantle an old lawnmower engine so I could learn how it works -- but although he was very supportive of my computer interests, I had surpassed his skill level early enough that I didn't have a lot of time with him on it.
I hope my boys have memories of me like you have of your dad.
The 4 yo was excited about getting a computer, but didn't care at all about using it. She just didn't 'get' the steam locomotive. She was willing to participate (and was interested) in typing characters on the screen and having something happen, but I just didn't have enough at an appropriate level to maintain her interest. I had hoped to work up to the gui and tuxpaint, but we didn't get that far before she completely gave up. I think there would've been (general) merit in this approach, but there's just not enough command line apps that are suited to this age group. The 2yo could also make the train go, but he didn't recognize it as a train. It was probably too fast to decipher the ascii art.
Somewhat strangely, starting the following day, the 4yo started calling her fake baby cell phone a 'computer' and is really in to pretending to do things on it. Crazy stuff like talking about how well she's doing at playing videos games. We don't play any video games in our house. It's as though I unlocked some possibility of having her own computer and her mind is running with it.
The last version of Windows I used seriously was 3.1.
Last winter, I suddenly had to fix problems in Windows Server 2008. I may have been a bit slow, but yes, I can fix an OS I've never used.
If you have a good knowledge base, and the experience to provide a good intuition, you can figure them out.
I would, incidentally, consider Debian to be a modern OS, and a CLI to be a modern UI. If they can string together commands in bash, I'm sure they'll be just fine with Windows.
Find an old keyboard, one you don't mind taking some abuse. Plug it in to a computer somewhere, put it in a 80x25 text mode where the letters are nice and big.
Then log in and let them bash at it randomly to their heart's desire. They'll be able to make lights on the keyboard turn on and off, and see the effect on the screen of what they do on the keyboard. It might only last a few minutes at first, and that's fine.
Once they can recognize letters pretty reliably, they could start with some simple CLI things. At almost 3, Oliver can log himself in, but I usually have to point to each letter in his username before he hits it. He knows his letters, but not his QWERTY, yet. He also has some issues with repeating letters. But once he's logged in, it's mostly random mashing at the keyboard for him yet too. I bet it won't be for long though.
As to age, each child is different. Follow their cues. If they happily sit on your lap for 15 minutes, seriously studying, or laughing at the hilarious error messages they make, then it's time. Or if they start wanting to use your computer. If they run off after 30 seconds, try again in a month or two.
I have, incidentally, seen this in corporate environments on traditionally-engineered sever-class hardware as well. This is just a much more easily-discussed case.