Re: [TCLUG:9416] MediaOne Roadrunner and Linux

[Christopher Reid Palmer <reid@pconline.com>]

On Tue, 26 Oct 1999, Scott Dier - dieman wrote:

> >   United we stand, divided we fall... I am JUST a Linux advocate, and
> 
> It wont happen. It doesn't happen with bsders and it wont happen with
> linux dists.  debian/slackware/stampede/other-non-commerical are
> fundamentally different from redhat, suse, caldera who will keep their
> stuff very much intergrated with their systems to keep their slice of the
> "growing linux market" because ipo for linux dists is amazingly
> profitiable to the owners/ceo's of these businesses.
> 
> Its sad, but its what happens when it gets commercial.

I see nothing sad here at all.

1. RPM works well.
2. RPM is free software.
3. Money is nice, especially when Red Hat gives it to Miguel de Icaza and
   Alan Cox, et al., thus allowing them to write more free software and
   eat food at the same time (multitasking).

There is nothing inherently wrong with selling things at a profit.
Furthermore, it can be a damn good thing when that profit is then used to
ensure people's freedom and give them useful things.

Worried about software packages becoming distribution-specific? Follow
these simple instructions:

1. Realize that most RPMs work on most Linux installations, assuming
   either compatible libs or static bins.
2. Realize, in light of 1, that you are all bent out of shape over a minor
   niggle, and are probably going off on some sort of elitist rant
   ('Dammit! Linux is supposed to be hard to use!').
3. Realize that all this shit is free software, and that you can roll your
   own distribution-neutral RPMs and distribute them on yor Web site. Why,
   you could even patch RPM to make it more flexible. (Just a thought.)


--
  Christopher Reid Palmer : http://www.innerfireworks.com/