Wayne Boyer <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

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

---
What some that may know business more than Linux are learning (or have
already known for a while) is it's not the OS sale (or "gift") it's the
SERVICES that the customer requires to support the OS. The "free
sample" you cite above in the grocery business (perhaps many retail
businesses too) is called a loss leader. Sell something at a loss
calculating that the customer will buy other items. In the case of
Linux the customer will most likely need additional services, and
that's where the real money in Linux is these days.

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