[101063] in RedHat Linux List
Re: How will Netscape/AOL Merger Affect Us?
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (bsc@klondike.ml.org)
Tue Nov 24 13:23:09 1998
From: bsc@klondike.ml.org
Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1998 10:21:20 -0800
To: redhat-list@redhat.com
In-Reply-To: <365AEF50.D4849EAE@net55.com>; from John on Tue, Nov 24, 1998 at 10:39:28AM -0700
Resent-From: redhat-list@redhat.com
Reply-To: redhat-list@redhat.com
I meant to include my thoughts in my previous post but I pressed the
wrong keys (which is tough, since I'm using vi).
I think we will continue to get Netscape's browser for free, if only
because IE is out there for free. I also don't believe AOL's coders will have
that much input into Mozilla, Netscape already has people who know the
code inside and out and I believe AOL is too smart (I hope) to try to
train _it's_ programmers on the internals of Mozilla when it already
has someone who knows what they're doing.
This leaves the question of business practices.
One thing is for sure, this is a big company. I read $14 Billion
yesterday, wow.
I know another thing, I don't trust large companies. I don't believe
companies can be evil or good, but I also don't believe a company this
size can have anything but profit on it's mind.
Now before you start calling me a communist, let me explain my position.
Profit is good, that's why they focus on it. It's hard for a company the
size of AOLScape to have a true vision, a defining goal, something they
are moving towards. They have to focus on something and profit is easy to
define and measure.
What does this mean?
It means that AOL will continue doing what they do. They'll sell online
services, they'll advertise all over Mozilla's splash screen, they'll
probably also annoy the hell out of computer users. Life will go on.
At Netscape Communications I think things will change. I believe the
morale at Netscape will probably plunge, I'm willing to bet they'll lose
some good programmers. Judging by jwz's recent sabbatical
(http://www.jwz.org/gruntle/blowme.html) morale at Netscape has been
dropping for some time, this is not going to help.
How will this affect Mozilla?
Probably not much. Programs the size of Mozilla are not affected by the
loss of one, two or ten programmers the way a mom and pop program is.
Mozilla could probably haemorrage 25% of it's programmers and still
maintain it's shipping schedule (although the programmers there would
probably drink their coffee intravenously).
Also, Mozilla is no longer a one company program. It was released as open
source some months ago. As Jamie pointed out in his editorial, this
cannot be revoked. If AOLScape creates a bastardized, ugly, poorly
written, causes cancer program. I believe someone on the outside will
take the source code and make something of beauty. People are funny that
way, corporations aren't.
At least one thing is true. I won't dread getting those AOL disks in
the mail anymore, especially after Mozilla upgrades. Think of the time
you'll save not having to ftp across slow modem links.
Regards,
Blair Craft.
On Tue, Nov 24, 1998 at 10:39:28AM -0700, John wrote:
> Hopefully not too far off topic...since 50% of us use Netscape.
>
> I confess to being a little concerned about the Netscape/AOL merger
> and it's effect on all of us.
>
> Such as...
> What if AOL were to rewrite Netscape's code that made it as
> slow and clunky as AOL?
>
> Will it continue to give away Netscape?
>
> What is likely to happen?
>
> Maybe I'm just paranoid...
> Anyone care to make a guess as to what is likely to come out of this.
>
> John
>
>
> --
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--
--- end ---
Blair Craft
bsc@klondike.ml.org
http://www.klondike.ml.org/~bsc
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