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Ernie Ball - Model For Open-Source Transition?

Posted by simoniker on from the minus-the-piracy-bit dept.

fr0z writes " Ernie Ball is a company that makes guitar strings. After being raided by the BSA in 2000 without warning and fined $100,000 for a few unlicensed copies of software, CEO Sterling Ball vowed not to give another cent to Microsoft and within 6 months, according to CNET News, had the whole company switched to Red Hat Linux, OpenOffice.org, Mozilla, and other free software."

15 of 869 comments (clear)

  1. Oh, the irony of it.... by ChiefGeneralManager · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...it might just be me, but is that a Windows 2003 Server ad that appears on the page along with Ernie Ball's story?

    1. Re:Oh, the irony of it.... by clare-ents · · Score: 3, Funny

      I'm sure it doesn't.

      If you wish to add an NT 4 Workstation computer to your network of NT4 machines I'm sure you'd have no problem buying the appropriate license and making sure the hardware had drivers.

      --
      Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. (Einstein)
  2. More raids please by cjcormack · · Score: 5, Funny

    Maybe the BSA should carry out more raids and "convert" more people to Linux!

    1. Re:More raids please by Zemran · · Score: 5, Funny

      At $100,000 each raid it would still be more profitable for them than producing reliable software.

      --
      I love stacking my barbecues in the shed at the end of summer - you can't beat a bit of grill on grill action.
    2. Re:More raids please by tiled_rainbows · · Score: 5, Funny

      For somebody whose job is filling out forms all day, invoicing and exporting, why do they need a Web browser?

      because otherwise they will go insane with boredom, you insensitive clod!

      --

      evil math within Nature's Cubic Creation!
    3. Re:More raids please by IamTheRealMike · · Score: 5, Funny

      More to the point, look where he's posting to.

  3. RAIDED!!! by dcw3 · · Score: 5, Funny

    After being raided by the BSA in 2000

    Hey, I knew we went overboard with the Patriot act, but when did the BSA (Boyscouts of America) start doing raids?!?

    --
    Just another day in Paradise
  4. I'm switching by bunyip · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yep - hauling out my piano and dumping it. It's time to learn to play guitar.

    I wanna support these guys and I'd feel pretty silly just buying strings.

    Alan.

  5. I own an abacus :) by CGP314 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I don't care if we have to buy 10,000 abacuses

    I bet Abacus Inc is pretty pissed at the Red Hat right now. That's one big contract to miss out on.

  6. Don't.... by SushiFugu · · Score: 5, Funny

    Do not taunt Happy Ernie Bal...er.. wait, wrong ball.

  7. Re:Actually by WIAKywbfatw · · Score: 5, Funny

    Show me proof of ownership for your toilet. Bet you can't!

    Will a hard dump of its contents do?

    --

    "Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
  8. Re:Sweet Noises by phurley · · Score: 3, Funny

    Just about everything, have you listened to it?

    --
    Home Automation & Linux -- now I know I'm a geek
  9. I am going to buy Ernie Ball strings from now on. by BlackBolt · · Score: 4, Funny

    Well, that's it for me then - I'm going to buy Ernie Ball strings from now on. Actually, all strings seem pretty much the same to me, what with massive distortion and high volumes, so why not support people who have er.. Balls? (sorry)

  10. Doh! by redtail1 · · Score: 4, Funny
    This paragraph cracked me up:

    So what did swearing off Microsoft entail? We looked at all the alternatives. We looked at Apple, but that's owned in part by Microsoft. (Editor's note: Microsoft invested $150 million in Apple in 1997.)

    Somewhere, a man wearing a black turtleneck is going, "Doh!"

  11. Re:Oh come on by Daniel+Phillips · · Score: 3, Funny

    The BSA went after him because he was well known and too small to fight back. They wanted publicity.

    They got it too, but it wasn't the kind they were hoping for.

    --
    Have you got your LWN subscription yet?