In a message dated 11/18/03 3:34:28 PM Pacific Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:


> Sure, but RedHat has always had this split-personality problem where their
> techies think they are working to support creation of "free" software, but
> their marketing people always behave as though it is a proprietary product
> owned by RedHat.  If you visited RedHat's web pages, it was virtually
> impossible to find out that the things they were trying to sell you for a
> lot of money could be gotten for free (often from them).
>
>

The fundamental problem with Linux is that the licensing essentially dictates
'free'.  No business I know of has ever succeeded based upon perpetually
giving their product(s) away for free.  In the business world, "free samples" are
only done to create future real sales.  Linux is the marketing equivalent of a
perpetual fully functional free sample.  Redhat and other Linux SW companies
are all trying to find ways to make a buck off of a 'free' product.  The only
way that they can successfully do that is to take the 'free' out of 'free
software'.  Slowly but surely, the Linux world is learning this.

Wayne

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