VMWare would be a consideration, but these people do not want an interruption to their current customized Windoze configurations. I couldn't get them to get Partition Magic - and I wasn't going to violate Power Quest's license for the benefit of my employer. I used fips instead for partitioning. While I'd never used fips before, it *is* a very nice tool!
Point is, if my employer wouldn't spring for a copy of Linux CDs or Partition Magic, there's no way they would cough up the bigger bucks for VMWare.
We now have managers buying laptops for the express purpose of using Linux to take ported Unix tools on the proverbial road. They haven't a clue as to how to do it, and our user services won't even touch it. Geez, as an example they support Netscape for Windoze and Macintosh only; Netscape for Unix (Solaris, HP-UX, Irix, and especially Linux) is unsupported.
So, who supports these managers with the dual boot laptops?
The geeks do that. Yet, that doesn't work very well when the managers won't give us the tools or the time we need.
I recently made two new laptops dual boot. One of them returned to its former single boot state because I didn't have the time or the resouces to make the thing work reliably. I had other work to do. C'est la vie.
To anyone interested, consider this an opportunity for business development and growth.
Here's the text of an email I sent to Jon yesterday in response to learning about the publication of the book:
Subject: Hellmouth Thanks
Hi Jon!
Thank you for making it into a book! I expect I'll buy the book, and I look forward to reading it, the fact that I've read the "Hellmouth" pieces on/. notwithstanding. I'm not one of the important readers, however. The important readers will be the ones who aren't aware of the Hellmouth.
This is really important. No, I don't expect some revolution to come from your book, but it *will* plant some seeds. It's a way to fight back, to raise awareness in a techologically sophisticated yet socially barbaric world.
I've been using Linux now for almost 3 years, learning first that I knew nothing about Unix, and digging through lots and lots of documentation - books, LDP, man pages, et al. I consumed the Linux penguin/fox one bloody command at a time. I'm a mathematician who can program.
Now, between Awk and C, I can do virtually anything. I am absolutely impressed with Unix, Linux, the GNU tools, et al. Unix is the ultimate super calculator. It will do whatever I want it to do. Once I ran into a memory limitation with C, a limitation I was able to fairly quickly circumvent.
Unix and the GNU tools are the computer equivalent to being mathematically elegant.
Will Unix go away? Who knows? Who cares? I hope it stays, but if something better comes along, I'll likely follow.
At present I think Linux has revitalized Unix, and I believe a new generation of Unix Geeks will come out of this current revolution. There is and will always be a need for a superior computing toolset. Today that toolset is Unix. Tomorrow it may be something else. Whatever that something else is, however, won't be Microsoft Windows!
Actually I've been using Solaris and HP-UX at work over the last two and a half years. (Would these also require a [censored] prefix?;-)
My problems with Solaris and HP-UX are more with how they are administered at my place of work than with the OSs themselves. At this place, system configurations are vastly different across platforms. For instance, the Suns in one lab will have a certain tool set, while those in another lab will have different tools. Sure, I can ftp files around from one machine and toolset to another, but at least with Linux I can have everything I need right here.
As regards the X86 compatible Unices, I've run Red Hat from v4.1, a few versions of SuSE, a couple of versions of FreeBSD, Slackware, Debian, TurboLinux, and Solaris 2.6. Each has its strengths.
Finally, as regards RMS, the FSF, et al, I don't know if it is proper to call it GNU/Linux or Linux. I do know this. I'm using software that I didn't have to write and didn't have to buy. The software is good and reliable, and alot of it is GNU software. Fwiw, I never forget its source.
I couldn't care less about the average user. I care about using my computer.
Word processing. If I want to perform word processing, guess what. There's vi and emacs. They process words just fine. I don't give a damn about some fancy piece of bloatware like Microsoft Word that turns my plain text words into some binary gludge that will be unreadable two releases from now. Ugh.
Spreadsheets. Ah, the joys of awk. In much less time than it takes to import a plain text file into Microsoft Excel, assuming the 65,536 line limit isn't blown and Windows hasn't crashed, I can have a long column of numbers summed. Pick a column, any column. I pick it with awk, and pipe it into an awk program that totals a set of inputs. Voila, my answer appears.
Desktop friendly. Geez, I'm a mathematician, and I get paid to analyze megabytes of data. GNU/Linux is my desktop os of choice. What can't I do with all of the GNU tools available to me? If the basic tools won't do everything, there's awk. And if that's not enough, there's always C. I still have so much to learn.
I started using GNU/Linux two and a half years ago in response to the unreliability and instability of Windows 95. Now I understand the extreme limitations of the Windows platform, and the superior capabilities of the Unix world.
GNU/Linux is a tribute to the best and brightest in the world from the best and brightest in the world. If the average user wants GNU/Linux, fine. Let him learn how to use his computer.
Sure that's too bad and all, losing money through a botched process. NSI screwed up, BUT McLanahan knew the consequences. He's an MBA major. If he wants to succeed in business, he'd better toughen up. If the loss of a domain name is enough to crush a business plan, it couldn't have been much of a plan, imho.
For anyone who's been using Red Hat for awhile (since v4.1 for me), this is a natural. The older versions had their own browser, Red Baron. It wasn't great, but considering the other alternative browsers at the time, it worked pretty well.
Now Red Hat can gun against Microsoft and kick some Redmond butt. YES!!!!!!!
Intended functionality exists, with no known bugs. Alpha allows the developer to test for platform and user compatibility. This is where users break the beastie.
For instance, apps for v1.0 and earlier releases of KDE were typically alpha. Although considered alpha, they were quite stable.
Reading the findings points to a few likely outcomes if the government pursues an anti-trust case against Microsoft, at least to me. How realistic are they?
1. Separate Microsoft Internet Explorer from the Windows operating system. 2. Compensate Netscape Communications for damages up to $100M. 3. Remove browser restrictions from any contractual agreements with other companies, including IAPs and companies such as Apple.
I do not see anything in the findings that would give the government the justification to break Microsoft into multiple companies.
I do not see anything in the findings that would give sufficient justification to pursue action against Microsoft as regards Java.
Is this reasonable? Must an anti-trust case against Microsoft be based strictly on the findings report?
One of the techniques I use is something I'd call cypher words. I will use a base word and use proximate vertical keyboard locations for the password.
Look at the keyboard (US in this case), and consider vertical groupings of letters:
qaz wsx edc rfvtgb yhnujm ik olp
That's 7 groupings, covering four fingers on the left hand and three on the right.
Now pick an easily remembered password, for this example, "password".
Cypher scheme? First two letters are both in the top row. Second two letters are in the middle row. Third, bottom row for the left hand, top for the right hand. Fourth, middle row for both hands.
Hand pattern? Top, top. Middle, middle. Bottom, top. Middle, middle.
So, how does it work?
password becomes pqssxofd. I type it out in a text editor a half dozen times to ensure that I can reliably and repeatably produce the pattern. I also look at it to ensure it has not produced something easily open to brute force attack. Then I delete the text file and I'm done.
This gives me strong passwords/passphrases that are not subject to attack, I use "simple" passwords/passphrases, and I don't forget the seed words.
One final curious thing about this is that I actually don't know what any of my passwords/passphrases are. They are secure, even from me.;-)
ST: TOS. The Enterprise and her crew are the flagship of Starfleet, with a mission for exploration, a "Wagontrain" to the stars. Kirk is the consumate swashbuckler.
ST: TNG. The Enterprise and her crew are the flagship of Starfleet, with a mission for exploration, a "Wagontrain" to the stars. Picard is the intelligent manager.
ST: DS9. DS9 is a space station, with a mission to service travelers, a "truckstop" in the stars. The head of the station is competent but forgettable.
ST: Voyager. Voyager is a small starship, with a practical mission to cross the galaxy to return home, a modern "Lost In Space" that ends either when the ratings drop below profitability or they actually return home. Captain Janeway is not only incompetent, but deserves a courtmarshal for stranding her ship and crew to the other side of the galaxy.
Does it really take much to understand the demise of Star Trek?
Yes, excellent article, and I wholeheartedly agree. My view of the IT shortage is that some of it is purely artificial. Look at the job ads online or in print. Companies want to hire people with very specific skills for today, with no view toward the future. The companies make money with IT types, but generally lose nothing if they're not around.
I'm a mathematician/computer type. I keep my skills "up to date", and stay clear of management positions. The money is steady and good. Middle managers are expendable, but the pawns such as myself are still actually employable.
In 1969, an infant born at 28 weeks would typically die. In 1999, that same infant has a probability of survival greater than 0.90. That doesn't come without cost - personal as well as financial - I can assure.
I contend that having the ability and freedom to discuss concepts of euthanasia and heroic efforts to save lives raises awareness in society. Individuals born as preterm infants live today because people can talk about the issues, and can subsequently choose to act or not.
Actually I like to think we're "united" to making computing - and thus ourselves - better.
Yes, Microsoft is a target for the Linux community, just as IBM was a target to the Macintosh community 15 years ago. Targets are secondary, improvement is primary.
Linux and the GNU toolset make my life better. At work I can use these to crunch lots and lots of numbers quickly, and I do. For instance, it's a beautiful thing to use a simple awk program to preprocess a bunch of data that will then be thoroughly masticated with c when it's the right thing to do. At home it's just nice to spend time using the computer rather than maintaining it [maintenance effort 20 hrs/mo. for Windows vs. 3 hrs/mo. for Linux].
Yes, I'll fight against an enemy when necessary, but I've got better things to do with my life than to spend it fighting {fill in enemy of the moment}.
Oct. 1999: VA issues internet capital plates. Jan. 2000: M$ wins contract w/ VA DMV thru y2k glitch. Mar. 2000: VA allows 12 character ICOW plates; think "IP address". Apr. 2000: M$ turns VA autos into "internet appliances" running WinCE. Jun. 2000: VA traffic problems alleviated, M$ cars no longer run.
Paraphrased from Gates' q&a on the CD for "The Road Ahead" by Gates:
We'll continue to obsolete the product.
Need one say more? Certainly the details will change from year to year, but the fundamental principle is unchanged. Toward that he has been consistent. Look at M$Office. One might even consider that the reduced importance of the PC may be related to Intel's promiscuity with Red Hat. Nevertheless, M$ will do whatever it deems necessary to maintain a superlative bottom line:
The media's view of What is a geek? is in part due to the variety of geeks.
The one common property of geeks/nerds that I can identify is intelligence, an ability to conceptualize. In my limited experience, I've found that as intelligence increases the variety of people increases.
I'd guess that most geeks/nerds probably fit the category of "gifted", including (or perhaps especially)/.ers. I'll extrapolate that one step further. I'd guess that most geeks/nerds probably identify themselves as people first, and geeks/nerds second, along with other numerous secondary categories.
But even the above generalization is merely my view. I see the world through my eyes, and generalize through my experience. "The Media" does the same.
The "reporter/entertainer" with the attention span and intelligence of a gerbil might see geeks as computer crackers, though he uses the term hacker. When he reports on same, he gets lots of attention. It's sensational, and it sells.
The "reporter/entertainer" with an active cerebrum may understand the breadth of geekdom. Yet when she reports on same, she gets, "Huh?!" Just try to describe the average/.er in a sound byte or less.
(New oxymoron: average/.er)
The Media is for them, certainly not for me. They don't write to me. They don't understand me. They're irrelevant.
I've run RHL since v4.1; at present I'm running 5.2. I've also run SuSE 5.1-6.0, tried FreeBSD, Slackware, TurboLinux, and Solaris 2.6. (At work I also use HP-UX and Solaris.) I've bought a few "official" distros and downloaded many others.
Red Hat Linux 5.2 is the best distro I've used. It configures easily at the command line, packages are nicely integrated to the system, adding packages via tarball is easy, C programming works well, and the distro isn't overloaded with gludge. SuSE 5.2 is a very close second.
Is Red Hat Software subject to change? Of course they are. They've already changed. Change doesn't need to be bad.
Will change be bad? Only Red Hat and time can tell. I suspect Linus' comments at COMDEX reflects concern over the future of Linux and the various GNU/Linux distributions.
In any case, I'll continue to use Red Hat for the forseeable future. If they are undeserving of my attention, I'll certainly direct it and my money elsewhere.
Slashdot Mirror
VMWare would be a consideration, but these people do not want an interruption to their current customized Windoze configurations. I couldn't get them to get Partition Magic - and I wasn't going to violate Power Quest's license for the benefit of my employer. I used fips instead for partitioning. While I'd never used fips before, it *is* a very nice tool!
Point is, if my employer wouldn't spring for a copy of Linux CDs or Partition Magic, there's no way they would cough up the bigger bucks for VMWare.
Graham
We now have managers buying laptops for the express purpose of using Linux to take ported Unix tools on the proverbial road. They haven't a clue as to how to do it, and our user services won't even touch it. Geez, as an example they support Netscape for Windoze and Macintosh only; Netscape for Unix (Solaris, HP-UX, Irix, and especially Linux) is unsupported.
So, who supports these managers with the dual boot laptops?
The geeks do that. Yet, that doesn't work very well when the managers won't give us the tools or the time we need.
I recently made two new laptops dual boot. One of them returned to its former single boot state because I didn't have the time or the resouces to make the thing work reliably. I had other work to do. C'est la vie.
To anyone interested, consider this an opportunity for business development and growth.
Graham
Here's the text of an email I sent to Jon yesterday in response to learning about the publication of the book:
Thank you too, CmdrTaco!
'Nuf said.
Graham
You're wrong!!!!!! The name is, "Windows NT SUX". Because it has an 'x' sound in the name, it is, by sillygism, True Unix.
Graham
I've been using Linux now for almost 3 years, learning first that I knew nothing about Unix, and digging through lots and lots of documentation - books, LDP, man pages, et al. I consumed the Linux penguin/fox one bloody command at a time. I'm a mathematician who can program.
Now, between Awk and C, I can do virtually anything. I am absolutely impressed with Unix, Linux, the GNU tools, et al. Unix is the ultimate super calculator. It will do whatever I want it to do. Once I ran into a memory limitation with C, a limitation I was able to fairly quickly circumvent.
Unix and the GNU tools are the computer equivalent to being mathematically elegant.
Will Unix go away? Who knows? Who cares? I hope it stays, but if something better comes along, I'll likely follow.
At present I think Linux has revitalized Unix, and I believe a new generation of Unix Geeks will come out of this current revolution. There is and will always be a need for a superior computing toolset. Today that toolset is Unix. Tomorrow it may be something else. Whatever that something else is, however, won't be Microsoft Windows!
Graham
Graham
I imaging there's already a Natalie Portman theme for Enlightenment, oui?
Graham
Actually I've been using Solaris and HP-UX at work over the last two and a half years. (Would these also require a [censored] prefix? ;-)
My problems with Solaris and HP-UX are more with how they are administered at my place of work than with the OSs themselves. At this place, system configurations are vastly different across platforms. For instance, the Suns in one lab will have a certain tool set, while those in another lab will have different tools. Sure, I can ftp files around from one machine and toolset to another, but at least with Linux I can have everything I need right here.
As regards the X86 compatible Unices, I've run Red Hat from v4.1, a few versions of SuSE, a couple of versions of FreeBSD, Slackware, Debian, TurboLinux, and Solaris 2.6. Each has its strengths.
Finally, as regards RMS, the FSF, et al, I don't know if it is proper to call it GNU/Linux or Linux. I do know this. I'm using software that I didn't have to write and didn't have to buy. The software is good and reliable, and alot of it is GNU software. Fwiw, I never forget its source.
Graham
I couldn't care less about the average user. I care about using my computer.
Word processing. If I want to perform word processing, guess what. There's vi and emacs. They process words just fine. I don't give a damn about some fancy piece of bloatware like Microsoft Word that turns my plain text words into some binary gludge that will be unreadable two releases from now. Ugh.
Spreadsheets. Ah, the joys of awk. In much less time than it takes to import a plain text file into Microsoft Excel, assuming the 65,536 line limit isn't blown and Windows hasn't crashed, I can have a long column of numbers summed. Pick a column, any column. I pick it with awk, and pipe it into an awk program that totals a set of inputs. Voila, my answer appears.
Desktop friendly. Geez, I'm a mathematician, and I get paid to analyze megabytes of data. GNU/Linux is my desktop os of choice. What can't I do with all of the GNU tools available to me? If the basic tools won't do everything, there's awk. And if that's not enough, there's always C. I still have so much to learn.
I started using GNU/Linux two and a half years ago in response to the unreliability and instability of Windows 95. Now I understand the extreme limitations of the Windows platform, and the superior capabilities of the Unix world.
GNU/Linux is a tribute to the best and brightest in the world from the best and brightest in the world. If the average user wants GNU/Linux, fine. Let him learn how to use his computer.
Graham
Sure that's too bad and all, losing money through a botched process. NSI screwed up, BUT McLanahan knew the consequences. He's an MBA major. If he wants to succeed in business, he'd better toughen up. If the loss of a domain name is enough to crush a business plan, it couldn't have been much of a plan, imho.
Graham
For anyone who's been using Red Hat for awhile (since v4.1 for me), this is a natural. The older versions had their own browser, Red Baron. It wasn't great, but considering the other alternative browsers at the time, it worked pretty well.
Now Red Hat can gun against Microsoft and kick some Redmond butt. YES!!!!!!!
This is excellent news. Go GNU/Linux, Go Red Hat!
Graham
Here's a link to the latest telnet bbs list:
http://www.thedirectory.org/telnet
It lists around 600 or so, and is updated every month. For muds, see
http://www.mudconnect.com/
Freenets, which do seem to be dying, are listed here:
http://www.lights.com/freenet/
What's really funny is that people are posting about BBSs and trying to keep others away from them. Hmmm...
Graham
Red Hat finally placed links for ftp mirrors and the errata at the top of the page. It's at least usable from that perspective.
(Btw, that's as regards Netscape. I've not yet learned how to use Lynx with proxy servers - but after posting this I'll try. ;-))
Graham
Intended functionality exists, with no known bugs. Alpha allows the developer to test for platform and user compatibility. This is where users break the beastie.
For instance, apps for v1.0 and earlier releases of KDE were typically alpha. Although considered alpha, they were quite stable.
Graham
Reading the findings points to a few likely outcomes if the government pursues an anti-trust case against Microsoft, at least to me. How realistic are they?
1. Separate Microsoft Internet Explorer from the Windows operating system.
2. Compensate Netscape Communications for damages up to $100M.
3. Remove browser restrictions from any contractual agreements with other companies, including IAPs and companies such as Apple.
I do not see anything in the findings that would give the government the justification to break Microsoft into multiple companies.
I do not see anything in the findings that would give sufficient justification to pursue action against Microsoft as regards Java.
Is this reasonable? Must an anti-trust case against Microsoft be based strictly on the findings report?
Graham
One of the techniques I use is something I'd call cypher words. I will use a base word and use proximate vertical keyboard locations for the password.
Look at the keyboard (US in this case), and consider vertical groupings of letters:
qaz
wsx
edc
rfvtgb
yhnujm
ik
olp
That's 7 groupings, covering four fingers on the left hand and three on the right.
Now pick an easily remembered password, for this example, "password".
Cypher scheme? First two letters are both in the top row. Second two letters are in the middle row. Third, bottom row for the left hand, top for the right hand. Fourth, middle row for both hands.
Hand pattern? Top, top. Middle, middle. Bottom, top. Middle, middle.
So, how does it work?
password becomes pqssxofd. I type it out in a text editor a half dozen times to ensure that I can reliably and repeatably produce the pattern. I also look at it to ensure it has not produced something easily open to brute force attack. Then I delete the text file and I'm done.
This gives me strong passwords/passphrases that are not subject to attack, I use "simple" passwords/passphrases, and I don't forget the seed words.
One final curious thing about this is that I actually don't know what any of my passwords/passphrases are. They are secure, even from me. ;-)
Graham
ST: TOS. The Enterprise and her crew are the flagship of Starfleet, with a mission for exploration, a "Wagontrain" to the stars. Kirk is the consumate swashbuckler.
ST: TNG. The Enterprise and her crew are the flagship of Starfleet, with a mission for exploration, a "Wagontrain" to the stars. Picard is the intelligent manager.
ST: DS9. DS9 is a space station, with a mission to service travelers, a "truckstop" in the stars. The head of the station is competent but forgettable.
ST: Voyager. Voyager is a small starship, with a practical mission to cross the galaxy to return home, a modern "Lost In Space" that ends either when the ratings drop below profitability or they actually return home. Captain Janeway is not only incompetent, but deserves a courtmarshal for stranding her ship and crew to the other side of the galaxy.
Does it really take much to understand the demise of Star Trek?
Graham
Us and them [not the Pink Floyd song]
Su and Its
Super Users and Irons T Shirts
Was that intended Roblimo? ;-)
Graham
Yes, excellent article, and I wholeheartedly agree. My view of the IT shortage is that some of it is purely artificial. Look at the job ads online or in print. Companies want to hire people with very specific skills for today, with no view toward the future. The companies make money with IT types, but generally lose nothing if they're not around.
I'm a mathematician/computer type. I keep my skills "up to date", and stay clear of management positions. The money is steady and good. Middle managers are expendable, but the pawns such as myself are still actually employable.
Graham
In 1969, an infant born at 28 weeks would typically die. In 1999, that same infant has a probability of survival greater than 0.90. That doesn't come without cost - personal as well as financial - I can assure.
http://www.techreview.com/articles/apr95/Soloman.h tml _ of_preemies/survival.html
http://www2.medsch.wisc.edu/childrenshosp/parents
So, what happens when a "preemie" or preterm infant is born? What disabilities can they face?
http://www2.medsch.wisc.edu/childrenshosp/parents_ of_preemies/index.html
I contend that having the ability and freedom to discuss concepts of euthanasia and heroic efforts to save lives raises awareness in society. Individuals born as preterm infants live today because people can talk about the issues, and can subsequently choose to act or not.
Graham
Actually I like to think we're "united" to making computing - and thus ourselves - better.
Yes, Microsoft is a target for the Linux community, just as IBM was a target to the Macintosh community 15 years ago. Targets are secondary, improvement is primary.
Linux and the GNU toolset make my life better. At work I can use these to crunch lots and lots of numbers quickly, and I do. For instance, it's a beautiful thing to use a simple awk program to preprocess a bunch of data that will then be thoroughly masticated with c when it's the right thing to do. At home it's just nice to spend time using the computer rather than maintaining it [maintenance effort 20 hrs/mo. for Windows vs. 3 hrs/mo. for Linux].
Yes, I'll fight against an enemy when necessary, but I've got better things to do with my life than to spend it fighting {fill in enemy of the moment}.
Graham
Hear me out on this one.
Oct. 1999: VA issues internet capital plates.
Jan. 2000: M$ wins contract w/ VA DMV thru y2k glitch.
Mar. 2000: VA allows 12 character ICOW plates; think "IP address".
Apr. 2000: M$ turns VA autos into "internet appliances" running WinCE.
Jun. 2000: VA traffic problems alleviated, M$ cars no longer run.
Graham
Paraphrased from Gates' q&a on the CD for "The Road Ahead" by Gates:
We'll continue to obsolete the product.
Need one say more? Certainly the details will change from year to year, but the fundamental principle is unchanged. Toward that he has been consistent. Look at M$Office. One might even consider that the reduced importance of the PC may be related to Intel's promiscuity with Red Hat. Nevertheless, M$ will do whatever it deems necessary to maintain a superlative bottom line:
We'll continue to obsolete the product.
Graham
The media's view of What is a geek? is in part due to the variety of geeks.
The one common property of geeks/nerds that I can identify is intelligence, an ability to conceptualize. In my limited experience, I've found that as intelligence increases the variety of people increases.
I'd guess that most geeks/nerds probably fit the category of "gifted", including (or perhaps especially) /.ers. I'll extrapolate that one step further. I'd guess that most geeks/nerds probably identify themselves as people first, and geeks/nerds second, along with other numerous secondary categories.
But even the above generalization is merely my view. I see the world through my eyes, and generalize through my experience. "The Media" does the same.
The "reporter/entertainer" with the attention span and intelligence of a gerbil might see geeks as computer crackers, though he uses the term hacker. When he reports on same, he gets lots of attention. It's sensational, and it sells.
The "reporter/entertainer" with an active cerebrum may understand the breadth of geekdom. Yet when she reports on same, she gets, "Huh?!" Just try to describe the average /.er in a sound byte or less.
(New oxymoron: average /.er)
The Media is for them, certainly not for me. They don't write to me. They don't understand me. They're irrelevant.
Graham
I've run RHL since v4.1; at present I'm running 5.2. I've also run SuSE 5.1-6.0, tried FreeBSD, Slackware, TurboLinux, and Solaris 2.6. (At work I also use HP-UX and Solaris.) I've bought a few "official" distros and downloaded many others.
Red Hat Linux 5.2 is the best distro I've used. It configures easily at the command line, packages are nicely integrated to the system, adding packages via tarball is easy, C programming works well, and the distro isn't overloaded with gludge. SuSE 5.2 is a very close second.
Is Red Hat Software subject to change? Of course they are. They've already changed. Change doesn't need to be bad.
Will change be bad? Only Red Hat and time can tell. I suspect Linus' comments at COMDEX reflects concern over the future of Linux and the various GNU/Linux distributions.
In any case, I'll continue to use Red Hat for the forseeable future. If they are undeserving of my attention, I'll certainly direct it and my money elsewhere.
Graham