[NTLUG:Discuss] Redhat Offerings -- the Red Hat bashing tour isback!

[terry]

Cameron, Thomas wrote:
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: discuss-bounces at ntlug.org [mailto:discuss-bounces at ntlug.org]On
>>Behalf Of Kermit Jones
>>Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2004 1:50 PM
>>To: NTLUG Discussion List
>>Subject: Re: [NTLUG:Discuss] Redhat Offerings -- the Red Hat bashing
>>tour isback!
>>
>>
>>I wasn't going to get in on this, but I felt it was time.  
>>First, I'm a 
>>bit disappointed at the "My opinion is better than yours." attitude.  
>>That's not what these lists, or any, for that matter, should be about.
> 
> 
> I don't think that my opinion is better than anyone's.  I *know* that opinions are like...  Um, elbows.  ;-)  The objection that I have is when people voice their opinions based on bad/untrue information.  It hurts the Linux community and Linux as it is represented to potential new users.  If some self-proclaimed expert approaches a potential F/OSS customer/convert/user and starts spewing about how Red hat is bad because they screwed the community, it is factually incorrect and presents a fractious view of the F/OSS community.  That's what gets my goat.
> 
> 
>>As to a remark near the bottom.  No on have a problem with a company 
>>getting to the "top of the heap."  The problem is what they 
>>do when they 
>>are there.  It's rather sad when a company gets to the top of 
>>the heap 
>>and the seemingly forgets about all the shoulders they stood 
>>on to get 
>>there.
> 
> 
> As Bryan pointed out - Red Hat has always contributed heavily to the Linux and F/OSS community and has certainly not stopped.
> 
> 
>>If Red Hat had developed everything in house, it would be 
>>different, but 
>>they have been successful because of the very community 
>>(free/cheap OSS) 
>>they have now seemingly abandoned.  
> 
> 
> How on Earth can you say that Red Hat has abandoned the community?  They are funding a distro (Fedora) with significantly *more* community involvement than the old Red Hat Linux ever had!
> 
> 
>>I Fedora is "so much Red 
>>Hat" as its 
>>defendants claim, why did Red Hat choose to change the name?  
> 
> 
> To punctuate the difference between their enterprise offering and their community offering.  No other reason.
> 
> 
>>$109 may 
>>not be a lot for some people, but its the main reason most 
>>people I talk 
>>to are still running Win98 instead of XP.  
> 
> 
> Those are the people for whom Fedora is appropriate.  You get the community support (mailing lists, news groups, etc.) for which the Linux world is famous but don't have to pay a dime.
> 
> 
>>They should have 
>>stayed with 
>>at least one $50.00 boxed product with a week or two support 
>>minimum.  
>>Even charge for the support, if needed, but don't just leave people 
>>hanging dry.
> 
> 
> See my previous post on capitalism/fair market economy.
> 
> --
> Thomas Cameron, RHCE, CNE, MCSE, MCT
> Assistant Vice President
> Linux Design and Engineering
> Bank of America
> (972) 997-9641
> 
> The opinions expressed in this message are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of my employer, Bank of America. 

I agree with Mr. Cameron.
As a Fedora AND RedHat user, I am well pleased.

RedHat has a business model that is functioning as it should and it's 
good to see a Linux company succeed in a very competitive industry.

-- 
but test everything; hold fast what is good,
1 Thessalonians 5:21