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"Key" Linux Site May Be Sold?

An anonymous reader wrote in to send us linkage to a news.com story that says a "Key" linux site may be sold. Its actually talking about linux.org, but it also mentions Linux.com, Andover/Slashdot/Freshmeat, and contains assorted comments from Michael McLagen. Doesn't say who interested, but he does say it is "publicly traded company that buys web sites" so Earthweb and Internet.com are both reasonable guesses.

58 comments

  1. I'm confused by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You're obviously trying to make some point or another, but I'm not sure what it would be...

  2. Re:Its only half a key Linux site... by ewhac · · Score: 2

    "Thanks, Rocky!" Schwab

  3. One question: by MichaelH · · Score: 1

    What the hell was the "whole LSA fiasco"?

    Well... two questions....

    Does this mean I'm not going to get my mug for spending three hours updating their software projects page?

    They sent me mails demanding I pay for the mugs they said volunteers would get for free. I wrote back, they said "sorry," and then never wrote back or sent the mug.

    Especially frustrating is the fact that I just got my own office, and now I have no kewl penguin mug for my desk.
    ------------
    Michael Hall
    mphall@cstone.nospam.net

    --

    Michael Hall
    mph.puddingbowl.org

  4. Let's play the word game! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    OK, let's see what heppens if slashdot is bought by...

    Yahoo! + slashdot = slashdot! hmm. too silly.
    ZDNet + slashdot = ZDslashdotnet.org too wordy.
    C|Net + slashdot = C|slashdot. Eewwww! too much like c:\!!!
    GO + slashdot = GOslashdot Not bad. Sounds kinda like a cheer!

    sidewalk + slashdot = ^H^H^H^H^H deleted by censor.



    1. Re:Let's play the word game! by PrinceOfChaos · · Score: 1

      All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. Comments are owned by the Poster. The Rest © 1997-99 Andover.Net. (look at the bottom of this page :)

  5. Stop!! Do NOT sell Shoeboy.org! by Sun+Tzu · · Score: 2

    Your site's popularity is truely amazing. My agents have scrutinized your numbers and used all the industry-standard metrics to assess its value. We are convinced that your site is worth considerably more than $12 million.

    We originally became interested when our Sysadmin, while reading some news site, spontaneously spouted "Shoeboy.org ain't worth a fsckin' fart in a whirlwind, much less $12 million!" Naturally, we were a little surprised that something "worthless" was being purchased for millions. We assigned the problem to a crack team of MBA's and market analysts. After very thorough research, backed by reams of solid documentation, they assessed your site's value at $47 million -- and even more if you are willing to obligate yourself to two years of supporting the site with our company.

    Admittedly, our CEO was skeptical -- until we told him it was "on the web". Then we presented him with our research documents, detailing just how much similar sites have sold for. Now he is fully committed to the acquisition of your important site.

    Please reconsider your hasty decision to sell Shoeboy.org. The company you are dealing with does not truely understand the value of such a landmark site as Shoeboy.org and has undervalued it to the point of insult.

    Please contact me at our headquarters.

  6. Re:domainnames by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    goodlinux.com is taken badlinux.com is available :)

  7. Finally by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    Although I'm a bit peeved that the con-artist known as Mike McLagan will probably walk off with something on the order of a cool mil after trying to cash in by hurting the Linux community for so long, I'm glad he may finally get out of linux.org, and get out of the position where he can continue gauging us anymore.

    Such is life.

    1. Re:Finally by alhaz · · Score: 2

      Don't worry, a cool million is probably what it will cost for our buddy Arisian there to protect his house from forclosure.

      Mikey McLagan has been running various floundering software companies out of his home for as long as anyone can remember. Back when he saw fit to be the ultimate killjoy and bring "law and order" to one of the best irc channels on efnet for technical folk (#os/2), he'd recently had both of his cars reposessed and was threatening to sue one of his paying betatesters for getting fed up and blabbing his most embarrasing bugs to anyone who felt like hearing it. That's right, this kid *Paid* Mikey for the right to test a cheezy irc client, and Mikey wasn't fixing some obvious bugs, after months and months.

      Mike McLagan is a wet blanket. Where he goes, mediocrity follows. The money he makes from the sale of his least deserved domain will probably only get him out of debt. So, being grateful that someone better will have controll of it, and really, anyone would be better, I don't think we have to worry that he's turning a profit.

      If there's one thing Mike knows how to do, it's how to *Not* turn a profit.

      --
      This is just like television, only you can see much further.
  8. McLagan is a crook! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    McLagan is a crook! And we all know that. Most of us remember the LSA fiasco. And now he is claiming that he has got an offer from somebody that he wouldn't name.

    You've got to wonder how news.com people got a wind of the sale. I'll tell you how. The greedy SOB called them up and told them, in the hopes to drum up the price of the sale. He knows how to use media to draw attention to whatever scheme is cooking next.

    And then goes around and says, gee I dont know if I want to sell it. What the hell does the following quote mean:

    "I've told several other people that if they're interested, they should do something about it. I haven't decided whether I'm going to sell it or not."

    Does this guy sound like he is drooling over the thought of alot of money or what? He has totally lost his mind. The Linux community already hates him and he just keeps coming up with dirty tricks.

    I sincerely hope that whoever is thinking of doing business with him knows exactly what they are getting into. Most people dont even go to Linux.or anymore, mostly because of hatred for Maclagan and also because linux.org sucks and there are dozens of other better options.

  9. Ya know what? You're right! by Chandon+Seldon · · Score: 1

    Commerialisation of OpenSource is the ultimate victory. It's what good old RMS has been working twords for nigh on 15 years now, cause if Linux beats NT, and KOffice beats MSOffice, then Joe average office worker doesn't have to sign away his soul and his right to be nice to his friends and co-workers just to be able to work in his job that earns him $10/hour.

    Even now this is possible, or nearly so, but as GPLed software (Not just any Open Source software, software released under the GPL) gets more and more supported by corporate interests, it'll get harder and harder to sell propriatary compeditors to the GPL'd software.

    --
    -- The act of censorship is always worse than whatever is being censored. Always.
  10. Re:STOP! by Chandon+Seldon · · Score: 1

    No. Unfortunately this other is not as strong in the ways of the Source.

    His licencing and development meathod promote fragmentation and propriaterization - he allows the intrusion of the Dark Side.

    The penguin cannot be lost, for, without him, we must rely on the Hurd, and the Hurd, as they say, is Crufty.

    --
    -- The act of censorship is always worse than whatever is being censored. Always.
  11. Maybe it's Friday on the brain but... by derekBrandon · · Score: 2

    ...the most obvious Linux based company that would benifit from this (not to mention suddenly has a lot of capital to spend) is RedHat. Is there a good reason why they wouldn't want to spend good cash for this site?

    1. Re:Maybe it's Friday on the brain but... by arthurs_sidekick · · Score: 2

      Maybe, but RH hasn't been buying up Linux sites, and the story explicitly states that the interest has come from such a company. Like the earlier poster, my money's on C|net.

      --
      "Oh, I hope he doesn't give us halyatchkies," said Heinrich.
  12. Shoeboy.org to be purchased. by Shoeboy · · Score: 3

    Shoeboy.org pucharsed for 12 million
    SEATTLE, WA The insanely popular web site Shoeboy.org has been purchased by an unnamed internet company for over 10 million dollars. The domain name Shoeboy.org was registered a couple of months ago, and simply points to a register.com site which states:
    Coming Soon!
    You have reached my future website.
    We recently registered our domain name at
    Register.com
    Despite being almost entirely devoid of content, it averages close to 18 million hits per month.
    Industry analysts predict that the hit count will go even higher once there is something on the site to look at.
    "The popularity of Shoeboy.org is amazing!" explains Michael Wood of the consulting firm eCyberCommerceWebEnterprise. "It's also totaly inexplicable. It's not that the site sucks, it's that there is literally nothing there. Why it gets so many hits is totally beyond me. One thing we do know is that it's a great site to advertise on, a total gold mine!"
    Shoeboy, the current owner of shoeboy.org refuses to disclose the buyer, but did inform us that the price tag had "eight digits, a decimal point and two more f***ing digits." He then did a series of back flips.
    When questioned about the sites popularity, Shoeboy responded, "I have no idea why it gets hit at all, but I can assure you that it's definitely _NOT_ due to perl scripts fetching the page in an infinite loop. That would be unethical."
    --Shoeboy

  13. Re:oops by Shoeboy · · Score: 2

    I meant to put a after WA, and I didn't mean to put an exact figure in the first line. Oops. What can I say, I'm an idiot.
    --Shoeboy

  14. You might not find that page on Geocities, but... by Ross+C.+Brackett · · Score: 1

    I know of a few truly leet Geocities WHY I USE LINUX AND HERE IS MY DOG'S PICTURE websites...

    Funny you should mention that. If memory serves, it would seem that Slashdot already has one page almost exactly like that under its "information umbrealla." Check out http://slashdot.org/features/99/03/2 0/2059255.shtml

    So *that's* why Slashdot was such as hot property.

  15. Re:STOP! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yea I remember the "good old days" when it took a week to get a linux install up and running. Adding a device driver meant recompiling the kernel on my 486SX. Pulling up for a co-op at a slick Silicon Valley company with a "Linux, it's not for breakfast anymore" bumper sticker on my beat up northeast Volvo wagon. Everyone thinking I was crazy. You know what. Times have changed. Linux is big, big time. We won, but at the same time we've lost what he had. The hope to make it big one day. One day is today. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that linux will compete against NT. Just to many companies backing it at this point. We can't fight money, and bring back the old times.

  16. Slashdot ate my link by Ross+C.+Brackett · · Score: 1

    This is the one you want.

    Aww, the whole joke is ruined.

    http://slashdot.org/features/99/03/20/2059255.sh tml

  17. Re:STOP! by Signal+11 · · Score: 2

    Maybe. But as Obi-Wan said to Yoda... "There is another..."

    If the penguin falters.. we still have the daemon.


    --

  18. Re:"Spurt" That Jizz All Over Her Fat Face? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You know, that was very funny...I had to laugh when I read it!!!

  19. Re:Wanna buy mine? by QuMa · · Score: 1

    littlebastard.cx? Far to long. Wanna buy mine? :-)

  20. Cool alias by mircea · · Score: 1

    Anybody remember where http://microsfot.com points to?

  21. Re:"Spurt" That Jizz All Over Her Fat Face? by Otter · · Score: 1

    Sproing!

    I've never complained about moderation before but -- this got moderated up from zero?

  22. Re:Because some people can't read... by Chandon+Seldon · · Score: 1

    I think I saw a Win32 app on there once, and you could theorettically compile most of the programs there for *any* UNIX...

    --
    -- The act of censorship is always worse than whatever is being censored. Always.
  23. Its only half a key Linux site... by Black+Art · · Score: 1

    They had to split it with the soundman.

    --
    "Trademarks are the heraldry of the new feudalism."
  24. webmasters who won't respond to buyout offers :( by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    i want to buy linux-arts.com, i;m willing to pay 10 fucking thousand. it's not being used for anything! but the technical contact never responded to my offer. fucker..

  25. Re:"Spurt" That Jizz All Over Her Fat Face? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I think this is some sort of dadaistic protest against the overly money-oriented articles we've been seeing on Slashdot as of late. Of course, I could be wrong...

  26. Linux101.com domain for sale by SkurfGod · · Score: 1

    I've got a few domains, and I probably need fewer. I'll let Linux101.com go - make me an offer!

  27. Re:Could anyone see this coming? by Booker · · Score: 2

    So this is the same guy who owned linuxhq? Sheesh. What a guy. Good riddance, and head on over to kernelnotes.org!

  28. extremelinux.com by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    extremelinux.com was posted up for sale by some yahoo on auctions.yahoo.com for like half a million bucks! haw haw

  29. Re:C|Net by C.Lee · · Score: 1

    >because of the support of such mainstream, and popular companies like C|Net

    Eh? C|Net and sites like it are jokes when it comes to Linux. You want to see linux users break out in laughter? Mention ZDNet,C|Net and knowlege of Linux in the same sentance. Most of the C|Net guys couldn't explain how to format a 1.44meg floppy under DOS if their life depened on it......

  30. Re:Hey Baby, want a date! by GypC · · Score: 1

    Like you're gonna make money selling shareware?

  31. Re:Sale by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Its raining CATS & BSOD's...hehehehe

  32. uh, .org? anyone? by AugstWest · · Score: 1


    I would assume that this purchase would preclude the non-profit status of linux.org - has anyone made a statement on this?

  33. Re:STOP! (I TOLD YOU SO!) by n1k0n · · Score: 1

    SEE I TOLD YOU SO, linux is the best OS for fast secure (doesnt crash) computer use and it wouldnt be that way if so many ppl hadnt supported it that aside i guess we should look at both sides - ***** on one hand we have a free os and lots of free software, and with it comes some software we have to pay(dearly) for. The motivation for developing the OS is that other ppl will be developing free software,updates,games,etc ***** we could have an OS where everything is free, but if that were the case we wouldnt have ANY commercial buissenesses helping distribute,develop, and promote linux i agree that linux should always remain free as an OS, but some influence from commercial buissenesses might help, so long as they dont become like microsoft and buy out all the little developers, and start selling the distributions, OS, etc I hope microsoft has NO part in the future of Linux

  34. Could anyone see this coming? by Ledge+Kindred · · Score: 1

    I wonder if he had some inklings of this sort of thing a couple months ago when he yoinked linuxhq.com back under his control...

    More power to him for getting away with it, but this so far looks to be much more profit-driven than community-driven as most of the others involved in this recent spat of Linux-related site purchases, etc.

    --

    -=-=-=-=-
    My mom's going to kick you in the face!

  35. But is anyone selling? by Dowser · · Score: 1

    Is any of the four named site's really interested in selling?
    Haven't Slashdot, fm etc. allready gotten their economic's safe recently?
    Does they really crave so much for additional money that they will sell their sites?

    1. Re:But is anyone selling? by Chad+Page · · Score: 2

      Freshmeat and slashdot have already been bought out by andover.net. Linux.com is owned by VA Linux... it's linux.org that is up for sale.

  36. STOP! by Signal+11 · · Score: 4
    First off, I am severely tempted to say that I would welcome any buyout of linux.org just to get a halfway decent looking webpage on it!. Yeeeesh.

    That small matter aside - I find it increasingly alarming that big business is moving into the linux arena so fast. What started out as a small phenomenon shared between the geekiest of the geeky has turned into a kind of mass-media event. I don't like the idea of large companies being linked to the name of linux. It just seems wrong that all the effort that has been expended on producing this wonderful free software will be covered up in advertisements, and packaged up in some forlorn website hawking the latest linux goods. And the newbies will never know what made linux great. I say we, as the linux community, petition all the major linux portals to provide easy access to documentation and papers that describe WHY linux is so stable, fast, and successful.

    Because if we don't, linux may collapse into a black hole because nobody will contribute to it anymore.. they'll just use use use, and buy buy buy. People MUST be informed about free software. Linux is the poster child of the free software movement. It would be a damn shame if nobody knew that.





    --

    1. Re:STOP! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1
      No, it's good.

      I don't object to business.

      I object to what I believe to be immoral businesses, such as those who license proprietary software.

      That's what Linux and Open Source is all about.

      Commercialisation of OpenSource is its ultimate victory.

  37. Because some people can't read... by sporty · · Score: 2
    It didn't say slashdot, freshmeat and whatnot are linux sites. I'll admit thought they are very linux oriented.

    They aren't being resold. I got this from the prior summary of the article, and felt like clearing the ignorance to come about what was said....

    -sporty

    ---
    Life's short. Play hard. Owowowow.. stitch in my side!

    --

    -
    ping -f 255.255.255.255 # if only

    1. Re:Because some people can't read... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What about Freshmeat isn't Linux centric? I am just asking, not trying to start trouble here.

  38. I know of a few... by DanJose52 · · Score: 1

    ...truly leet Geocities WHY I USE LINUX AND HERE IS MY DOG'S PICTURE websites...I'm sure the not-so-savvy people would love to have a few of those under their "information umbrella"


    Dan

  39. Wanna buy mine? by Knight · · Score: 1

    It's too bad all the good names are taken. I would love to sell one of my domain names for millions, but I'm having trouble finding bidders for littlebastard.cx. Oh well, I guess I'll perpetually be poised on the tail end of the wave, unable to quite get ahead. But then, isn't that where most of us are? We get into the latest thing minutes too late to make the real money that the people at the top of the pyramid make. It feels like Amway.

    If you need to point-and-click to administer a machine,

  40. Huh. www.linux.org is still up? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ....I hadn't visited it since all that LSA crap awhile ago.

  41. domainnames by asad · · Score: 1

    You can almost feel the masses getting ready to buy everything that has to do with linux. I can see people registering badlinux.com goodlinux.com
    mylinux.com and any other *linux*.com/org/net. I just hope that quality of the site doesn't suffer. So far I think slashdot and liunx.com have stayed true to their own image but as more and more people become interested in liunx and signal to noise ratio increases this will become harder and harder to maintain.

    --
    Vidi, vici, veni. (I saw, I conquered, I came)
    1. Re:domainnames by vectro · · Score: 1

      Erhm, don't you mean the signal to noise ratio *decreases*? I don't see it increasing anytime soon.

  42. C|Net by hakker · · Score: 1

    I am willing to bet that it is C|Net. They have been buying up Linux domains lately. I noticed that they purchased and stuck some content on searchlinux.com ... I hate being religated to looking for Linux info on anything C|Net related. First it was "You can download Word Perfect from download.com" and now it is "All the linux info you ever wanted at searchlinux.com".. Or at least it seems that way. Bad C|Net, go away.

    1. Re:C|Net by Serfer · · Score: 1

      I've worked at C|Net (well, it was in the gamecenter division, but basically the same thing), people there USE linux, and understand how it works, and all i can see is the future getting brighter for linux because of the support of such mainstream, and popular companies like C|Net

  43. Hurry..Break out Webzip by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Break out web zip and download the site before the free movement is gone for ever. In comes corporate america and out goes free access to information.

    Oh, you want a driver for your Linux Box. Well that will cost $20 a month for the professional subscription to the site.

    "Suits itch my neck!" - P_S

  44. Re: A .org isn't not-for-profit! Oh, the humanity! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A web site identified by TLD as being NON-PROFIT pluggin' adds and Dog knows what else.

    I wish my life was so problem-free that I could spend time worrying about how some .org sites are for-profit businesses. Next thing you'll tell us is that some .net sites aren't networks, and that some .com sites are not-for-profit! (Please break the news to us gradually. I have a tendency to completely void my bowels when I experience stress.)

  45. publicly-traded, eh? by mcmay · · Score: 1

    Am I the only one thinking CMGI?
    They're pretty light on Linux properties, though they own everything else...

  46. linux.org by drwiii · · Score: 2
    linux.org faded into obscurity after the whole LSA fiasco last year. After linux.com's debut, I'm sure even more people deserted linux.org.

    It is kind of weird reading that article though.. Seeing as how "Linux Online" is the name of one of the forums in an upcoming site I'm working on.. (:

  47. Yea, sure, I'll sell my site for a cool mil.... by mattz · · Score: 0

    uh...yea.....that new uber elite oss operating system zeitsnutz.....it runs faster that windows 98 and linux even with the power off!

    --
    Remember this...no eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn....(jim morrison)
  48. Re:webmasters who won't respond to buyout offers : by MindStalker · · Score: 2

    Well linux-arts.net and org arn't taken if thats any consolation :) I just have to hope that none takes my mindstalkersjizz.yum

  49. Sale by zero-one · · Score: 1

    Does anyone know weather .microsoft.com is for sale....now that could be fun!

  50. Hey Baby, want a date! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So this is what the open source movement is about. I'm not allowed to sell my software, but any 2-bit website can whore itself out to the highest bidder?

    Q: So, software should be free?
    A: Yes.

    Q: How am I supposed to pay my rent.
    A: That's easy. You do that through support.

    Q: Well, that may make sense. Do you want to buy a support contract?
    A: Me?? Huh, I've got your code. I can make it work myself.

    Q: Who is this good for again?
    A: Me ME MEEEEEEE

    -Fuck you and have a nice day!