[lug] RH 7.2 in stores - and bloody EXPENSIVE!

[Ferdinand Schmid]

DeVerter at robinsonmechanical.com wrote:
<snip>
> Certainly, I agree that a rise in price for RH products was unexpected but
> I don't think it's fair to throw the label 'really greedy...
> money-grubbing' on them.  We all enjoy low-cost and free software as
> benefit of using this particular operating system yet we also want Linux to
> 'win' some war against other OS's.  Personally, I don't think there is war
> on the desktop, at least not one I am that interested in.  The desktop is a
> users place of free choice in appearance, function and applications.  What
> I do want is Linux and Linux providers to be successful.  I make it a point
> to buy one major release from Redhat and outside of that I download the
> point ISO's when I feel I want to upgrade what I have.  And in between I am
> familiar enough with my systems to apply patches when and where I need
> them.  For some people, paying $20/month for RH Network to do this for them
> is not a bad deal for easy updates to their system.  Though they may be
> better served by using a KRUD subscription we need to remember that money
> will change hands at some point.  Seeking profit is not evil.

The point was not that RedHat can't charge an appropriate price for
their products.  The way I understood this the criticism was against a
disproportionate increase in price.  RH may feel that they have
established enough of a market presence that they can dictate the price
for commercial linux - not much unlike other OS companies.  Compared to
other very high quality distros such as Mandrake and SuSE RH is much
more expensive for less.  
Example: SuSE allows you automatic updates on as many machines as you
like within one company per license.  They also give you a distro with
most Linux applications you may ever want pre-configured at a much lower
price than RH.  This includes security features for servers.  

So if you love RH and don't care about anybody else then stay with them
just like many people do with M$.  If not then send them a message and
support tummy.com  or give other good distros a try - such as Mandrake,
turboLinux, SuSE, ...

> 
> Personally, my dilemma is whether to give my money to Redhat to aid them in
> creating a stronger business class server or to pay tummy.com to support my
> local Linux service provider.
> 
> My opinion is not that a local provider can't provide a rock-solid server
> but that big business is more likely to trust a name that they see in the
> news, on Wall Street.  I state this because the war I would like to see won
> is the reduction of MS servers and the proliferation of Linux and other
> open OS servers.  This is where we need to put our concentration so as to
> rid the Net of .Net, Passport and Code-Red type attacks that take away my
> bandwidth; nasty ideas that remove choice and free speech.  Having a choice
> is what we all I have, it's what we all want to keep and we want others to
> have that choice - when they finally realize they can choose and not take
> whatever came pre-installed.

Privately held companies can convince large customers to buy into their
products too.  See 
http://www.suse.de/us/press/press_releases/archive01/Banco_Mercantil.html
for just one example - a bank switching to an IBM mainframe and a
version of Linux without a Stock symbol.  

I firmly believe that we don't all need to run (and pay) RedHat for
Linux to win.  Part of Linux's strength is that there are many distros
and the user can choose what works best for them.  So if you do embedded
systems check HardHat and other distros that specialize in this field -
and if you are a home user pick what you like from the CHOICE of distros
at the store.  You may but don't have to buy RH - and if the price isn't
right then pick something else.  This choice (including DEBIAN - FREE)
is one of the beauties of Linux!
  
> 
> Redhat would like your $60.  tummy.com would like your $60.  Support your
> Linux providers - whoever they may be...and download the rest.
> 
> Mark d.
> 
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-- 
Ferdinand Schmid
http://www.archenergy.com
303-444-4149 x231