Re: [aclug-L] Linux on store shelves

[John Goerzen <jgoerzen@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jonathan Hall <jonhall@xxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:

> It's not the tech support that RH provides that I don't like.  It's the
> proprietarizing that they do.  All the contracts they're signing with

I agree that they are doing some of this, but you're missing the mark
with the analysis below.

More insidious are:

 * inclusion of non-free software on the CD
 * and inclusion of proprietary (no source at all) on  the CD
   + BRU2000, for instance
 * Selling of non-free and proprietary programs separate from the dist

> other large companys (Corel, Intel, etc) that I don't like.  With all the

I see nothing wrong with Intel investing money in them in order for
them to raise capital to provide better tech support.

> support of large companies going into a single Linux distribution, it
> wouldn't be hard for RedHat to start making packages that only work with
> RedHat.  Imagine that Corel WordPerfect Suite worked only with RedHat,

That's incorrect.  Linux is GPL'd.  RPM is GPL'd.  Almost all of their
tools that they use are as well.  If they intend to proprietarize
things to that extent, they would have to ditch those tools.  They
would then cease to be a Linux distribution.  Not to mention that they 
have said numerous times and at every opportunity that they are firmly 
commited to Linux -- and their actions do show that; they are writing
GPL software.  I don't think this is a serious concern at this point.

This is one reason why I am such a big GPL fan.

> But even if it never gets that far, compaines like Corel who have
> contracts with RH don't have as much motivation to make their product work

This discussion of Corel is rather incorrect.  They don't have any
exclusive options with RedHat, and there are other things brewing
which I am not at liberty to discuss at this point but which will show 
that.

> I think Linux should be FREE.  Even if you want to pay for tech support,
> the operating system and accompanying packages should be free.  Which
> means not paying Red Hat Software to use Linux.

You're still confusing freedom with no cost.  Free Software is not
about no cost.  If you want to say that it all should be no cost,
which is a place that even RMS doesn't go, OK -- we'll discuss that.

---
This is the Air Capital Linux Users Group discussion list.  If you
want to unsubscribe, send the word "unsubscribe" to
aclug-L-request@xxxxxxxxxxxx.  If you want to post to the list, send your
message to aclug-L@xxxxxxxxxxxx.