[3268] in linux-net channel archive
Re: Bug in 1.2.13 firewall?
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Dennis)
Mon Jun 17 17:31:32 1996
Date: Mon, 17 Jun 1996 15:54:29 -0400
To: Mike Kilburn <mike@lserv.conexio.co.za>
From: dennis@etinc.com (Dennis)
Cc: linux-net@vger.rutgers.edu
>> > > >
>> > >> and there isn't enough difference between decent hardware to get
>> > >> people to buy your product without a price war. If we made source
available,
>> > >
>> > >The difference is quality, support, service and people.
>>
>> (of the hardware vendors I have called, most seemed to have abandoned these
>> strategies... although occassionally I hear a good report from someone...)
>>
>
>This is an important point. In the free market you must provide
>quality,support service
>and good people skills. If you do that you can make money and be open. New
>companies
>which plan from the start to be open can do it. When I say free market I dont
>mean the
>so-called free market of the U.S where non-free companies thrive by locking
>people in
>to closed solutions. Free software brings a much more humanist approach to
>business and
>bears more fruit for the user due to *true* free-market competetion.
>
This is a very idealistic view, but the truth of the matter is that we
live in a highly price sensitive marketplace. We're living in a world
with price clubs, downsizing, scrimping, 900 number support,
paid upgrades etc, etc. Everyone wants the cheapest product,
the free software guys think that all software should be free, its
nuts.
We do many software/feature releases in a year, most of our competitors
do a board driver with no features and thats it. We dont charge extra for
upgrades, we dont charge extra for support. We're trying to continue
these policies, but as you can see we get beat up no matter what we do.
No matter what our policy is, a large group will complain. Which is why
you need choices. We cant make up policy as we go. The best was to
support our customers is with a single, loadable object module. Its the
easiest for us, and the easiest for them. If you need something we
cant give you, then thats the way it goes.
Dennis
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