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Red Hat Sells RMS Linux
Chilli writes "I just stumbled over RMS Linux on RedHat's web site. It includes only free (as in freedom) software and at least $1 is donated to the FSF for every sold package. This is super cool, I think, and I probably have to buy one just because it is so cool. I think, this finally proves that - as far as this is possible for a company - RedHat cares about the community. (The URL is to RedHat's secure commerce server, I hope it manages the /. effect, but I didn't find another URL - so, this is maybe not really official yet, but what's on the Web, is on the Web.)"
Check your facts :-). First of all, the Debian project doesn't sell CDs itself; we make CD images that are burned by CD vendors. Some of these vendors make it possible for buyers to donate to Debian's development.
The donations are handled by SPI (Software in the Public Interest), a non-profit Inc. created as the legal entity for all kinds of Debian stuff. Since its creation, SPI has expanded to support other projects besides Debian (Berlin, GNOME, LSB, Open Source, Open Hardware). While these include FSF projects (GNOME), SPI isn't currently donating directly to the FSF AFAIK.
I have seen in several postings here some confusion about the differences between Open Source and Free Software (as in GNU licensed according ot the Free Software movement).
r eedom.html for
:-)
I too mixed these two definitions up in an article I wrote a while back about GIFs. However I got a mail from RMS who put me straight about which is which. I'll leave the general population to argue about which is best etc, but here's a snippet from the mail I received from RMS:
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The Open Source movement is a different group, started in 1998. We and they do similar activites, but we do them for completely different philosophical reasons. The Open Source movement aims to get support from business, by mentioning only practical advantages, and never talking about deeper issues. The Free Software movement says that freedom and community are important in themselves.
See http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-software-for-f
more explanation.
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Seems like a bit of a "Bite Me!" comment to me, but it explains why QT, Netscape et al are not included in this Free Software version of Red Hat.
Hope it helps clear up some confusion.
(and RMS - if you are reading this, does this atone for my earlier confusion?
A little planning goes a long way...
at least $1 is donated to the FSF for every sold package.
When you're examining the apportioning of the pie, look at how much the other parties are getting as well as how much the FSF is getting. I think you'll find that $1 is not that big of a share.
This is super cool, I think, and I probably have to buy one just because it is so cool.
Sorry to sound cynical, but this just means you've been suckered by their publicity ploy.
I think, this finally proves that - as far as this is possible for a company - RedHat cares about the community.
People need to realize that Red Hat is now a PUBLICLY TRADED COMPANY. This means all of the normal PUBLICLY TRADED COMPANY APPURTENANCES, such as a Board of Directors, SEC filings, PR departments, marketing consultants, branding consultants, market research managers and liasons, and many, many other gears of the corporate machine. It is now a very naive belief to feel that Red Hat, as a corporation, "cares" about anything or anyone other than the value of their stock. In fact, it is now the legal and moral obligation of all officers of Red Hat to do everything in their power to maximize that value.
It is truly a mistake in perception to attribute human behavioural characteristics such as "caring" to a corporate machine. A group of people in an organization with a purpose will behave differently than any individual. My favorite example of this is two forces of civil war soldiers charging each other. No sane individual would contemplate running at a group of armed enemy soldiers who are hell bent on shooting you. But as a group, you are under an extremely complex set of psychological motives, manipulations, and pressures, and it is historical fact many soldiers died in exactly such circumstances.
Now, there may very well be INDIVIDUALS at Red Hat who "care about the community." I believe this is true. But rest assured that every action taken by the CORPORATION is carefully weighed and executed based on its short and long run potential impact on that all-powerful share price, and you should keep this in mind as you evaluate a company's behaviour. Remember that shareholders are more than ready to BRING SUIT against officers of a public company who engage in actions motivated by objectives other than that share price that seem to hurt the company.
Judging by the reactions here, it was a good move for Red Hat though.
You were warned. ^_^
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