What will be difference between the purchasable BSD and the FreeBSD? What kind of corporate features and software will be available in the pay-for version?
How will this affect companies involved in virtual hosting modifications to BSDI?
The history of media delivery systems seems to indicate that as new ways of presenting news become available, old means of delivery get a diminished role in society.
For instance, when network news came into the picture, magazines suffered losses. (Remeber LIFE when it really meant something to millions of people?)
When CNN came into the arena with the Gulf war, Network news took a hit. People no longer relied on the big three networks for their 5 o'clock fix: (CBS, NBC, ABC).
As old as paper-based news is, it's amazing there has been no real DIRECT competition to its market dominion over the centuries.
One would imagine that any alternate form of detailed in-depth coverage (usually in the form of print) would have diminishing effect on paper-based news.
Electronically delivered print-news is probably the biggest competitor paper-based news has ever had. It's more timely, more interactive, can deliver sounds and pictures, can be more personlized, more accessible, and has searching convenience.
If history is any indicator, electronically-delivered newspapers are likely to diminish the role of paper-based news in all forms.
At most newspapers, press releases comprise a majority of the mail that floods in every day. Many editors just throw these away, as most of them are trash anyway.
It's an editor's privilige use news judgement and throw out anything that doesn't work.
A "wall of shame" might work to discourage annoying complaints. Every day, just post the most annoying letter you get to the wall, with your editorial comments.
You're right, quality differences between open source and proprietary code are often negligable -- particularly when you find out HOW some commercial software is constructed.
I think his perspective is legitimate, from where he stands. But that's from a commercial vantage.
I don't think anyone is seduced by the ease of use features of FreeNix (Linux/FreeBSD/Hurd/Whatever), as they are with MS-Windows. Therefore these issues are not important right now.
Linux is popular because technically-minded people end up liking it for other reasons, like versatility, network culture (yes, an OS with culture), intellectual engagement, and economics.
These are the same reasons geeks and hackers were choosing DOS in the early 1990's over Apple for recreational, technically-indulgent home computing. Remember the BBS?
DOS and 386 hardware was cheap, bulletin boards were easy to find, and whopping piles of hackish software accompanied a giant online messaging culture.
(Oh yeah, and there was the reactionary anti-Apple Corporation sentiment. e.g. The smug sensation that this dubious, console-based technology would one day break Apple's market dominance.)
I think the same thing is happening today with Linux, FreeBSD, and all the free Unix variants.
Bright, self-taught, technically-minded people have been attracted to the complexity, culture, and cost of these systems. Anti-Microsoft sentiment seems to be lingering.
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What will be difference between the purchasable BSD and the FreeBSD? What kind of corporate features and software will be available in the pay-for version?
How will this affect companies involved in virtual hosting modifications to BSDI?
The history of media delivery systems seems to indicate that as new ways of presenting news become available, old means of delivery get a diminished role in society.
For instance, when network news came into the picture, magazines suffered losses. (Remeber LIFE when it really meant something to millions of people?)
When CNN came into the arena with the Gulf war, Network news took a hit. People no longer relied on the big three networks for their 5 o'clock fix: (CBS, NBC, ABC).
As old as paper-based news is, it's amazing there has been no real DIRECT competition to its market dominion over the centuries.
One would imagine that any alternate form of detailed in-depth coverage (usually in the form of print) would have diminishing effect on paper-based news.
Electronically delivered print-news is probably the biggest competitor paper-based news has ever had. It's more timely, more interactive, can deliver sounds and pictures, can be more personlized, more accessible, and has searching convenience.
If history is any indicator, electronically-delivered newspapers are likely to diminish the role of paper-based news in all forms.
It's just evolution...
Contemplate the idea of having a soft-toy penguin sitting atop your monitor with the words: "Microsoft Linux" printed on it's breast.
:)
Probably the kind of thing Linus T. has nightmares about
At most newspapers, press releases comprise a majority of the mail that floods in every day.
Many editors just throw these away, as most of them are trash anyway.
It's an editor's privilige use news judgement and throw out anything that doesn't work.
A "wall of shame" might work to discourage annoying complaints. Every day, just post the most annoying letter you get to the wall, with your editorial comments.
You're right, quality differences between open source and proprietary code are often negligable -- particularly when you find out HOW some commercial software is constructed.
I think his perspective is legitimate, from where he stands. But that's from a commercial vantage.
I don't think anyone is seduced by the ease of use features of FreeNix (Linux/FreeBSD/Hurd/Whatever), as they are with MS-Windows. Therefore these issues are not important right now.
Linux is popular because technically-minded people end up liking it for other reasons, like versatility, network culture (yes, an OS with culture), intellectual engagement, and economics.
These are the same reasons geeks and hackers were choosing DOS in the early 1990's over Apple for recreational, technically-indulgent home computing. Remember the BBS?
DOS and 386 hardware was cheap, bulletin boards were easy to find, and whopping piles of hackish software accompanied a giant online messaging culture.
(Oh yeah, and there was the reactionary anti-Apple Corporation sentiment. e.g. The smug sensation that this dubious, console-based technology would one day break Apple's market dominance.)
I think the same thing is happening today with Linux, FreeBSD, and all the free Unix variants.
Bright, self-taught, technically-minded people have been attracted to the complexity, culture, and cost of these systems. Anti-Microsoft sentiment seems to be lingering.
History will probably repeat itself.