[100549] in RedHat Linux List
Re: The future of the OSS model: self-destruct?
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Toby Herring)
Sat Nov 21 19:11:46 1998
Reply-To: "Toby Herring" <therring@syncroflo.com>
From: "Toby Herring" <therring@syncroflo.com>
To: <redhat-list@redhat.com>
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1998 18:45:21 -0500
Resent-From: redhat-list@redhat.com
This "model" is already in effect, to some extent.
I am currently runnin an application server on RH Linux 5.2 (Cost me a blank
CD to have someone burn it for me.) All of the administrative utilities and
such are OSS. However, I'm running a "boxed" (partially customized)
application on it that costs a grand total somewhere in the neighborhood of
$50,000+
There is plenty of opportunity to "make money" writing software for Linux.
You just have to write the software from the ground up yourself, instead of
basing it off of someone else's work.
I'm certain that Lotus, Corel, SyBase, etc have no intention of putting
themselves out of business by handing out free software on a continuing
basis. I think you can probably look at their current sfotware (in the
cases where it's free) as an open beta, and an attempt to get a "foot in the
door" in the event that MS continues to lose ground.
Netscape sells server software for Linux. Of course, most everyone running
Linux as a web server NOW are using Apache, but anyone running a Netscape
server on NT now that converts to Linux for an OS in the future, may very
well decide to stick with Netscape solutions, rather than switch to Apache.
Many using IIS on NT may look into alternative solutions, as well.
Look at it this way. Changing to Linux as an OS just gives an IS director
the choice of lowering their budget, or having more money left over to spend
on software.
I saved enough money by going with Linux instead of a commercial flavor of
UNIX to finance a complete network overhaul at my site. But the application
would have cost me the same amount of money regardless of which solution I
went with.
--
Toby Herring
IS Coordinator
Syncroflo, Inc.
-----Original Message-----
From: Ramon Gandia <rfg@nook.net>
To: redhat-list@redhat.com <redhat-list@redhat.com>
Date: Saturday, November 21, 1998 3:54 PM
Subject: Re: The future of the OSS model: self-destruct?
>Lance Cummings wrote:
>>
>> My real question is how can I (or anyone) make any money from this
software (OSS)
>> model? .
>> The model
>> depends on the egalitarian contributions of programmers. This work is
done
>> in their spare time. Their real jobs as commercial programmers allow
them
>> to make a living developing software under the old business model. So if
>> more and more software becomes OSS, doesn't that dry up the good paying
>> programming jobs that really are what allows the off-hours work on OSS.
So
>> does OSS eventually kill itself?? (admittedly this is years away)
>>
>> And let's face it. A lot of the OSS motivation is to bring down the
church.
>> Once we topple Microsoft and the rest of the papacy, does the energy and
>> enthusiasm for this model continue.
>
>I think the ultimate outcome will be that Linux -the operating
>system
>and core utilities- will be OSS; that applications that run on it
>will be variously OSS, Shareware and full-blown Commercial.
>
>If you think about Microsoft for a bit, there is nothing wrong
>with
>their pricing on a lot of stuff. Microsoft Works, Word, etc. is
>priced fairly. The big complaint about them is the "bundling",
>and the coercion, and contracts to exclude competitors. There are
>a few items not priced fairly, like NT, but that is all part of
>the coercion scheme.
>
>Assuming the predatory business practices of MS were stopped, I
>for one would seriously consider buying their software; for
>instance, I would be thrilled to buy Microsoft Works 5.5 for
>Linux.
>
>As it is, I haven't bought ANY MS software now for over three
>years
>other what Win95/98 itself, and that for customer support
>purposes.
>I vote with my wallet.
>
>--
>Ramon Gandia ==== Sysadmin ==== Nook Net ==== http://www.nook.net
>285 West First Avenue rfg@nook.net
>P.O. Box 970 tel. 907-443-7575
>Nome, Alaska 99762-0970 ======================= fax. 907-443-2487
>
>
>--
> PLEASE read the Red Hat FAQ, Tips, Errata and the MAILING LIST ARCHIVES!
> http://www.redhat.com http://archive.redhat.com
> To unsubscribe: mail redhat-list-request@redhat.com with
> "unsubscribe" as the Subject.
>
--
PLEASE read the Red Hat FAQ, Tips, Errata and the MAILING LIST ARCHIVES!
http://www.redhat.com http://archive.redhat.com
To unsubscribe: mail redhat-list-request@redhat.com with
"unsubscribe" as the Subject.
