Messages in this thread |  | | Date | Mon, 17 Jun 1996 18:15:40 +0000 | From | hab <> | Subject | Re: Bug in 1.2.13 firewall? |
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Dennis wrote:
> > 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 > I don't think you understand "free" software. To some it may mean no cost but to most it means "freedom of dependence on others to write what you need" It means freedom to exchange idea's. Most software concerned with linux is copyrighted with very specific licenses for distribution and reuse. Thank you for supporting Linux you are doing more than what we ask. But you are doing it in an inferior manner as far as capable programmers are concerned, as you restrict us from custimizing our use of your product to our needs. You didn't grant us our independence.
At this time, the users of Linux may not represent a significant market but realize that most are students and educators who move on to more significant positions. Meanwhile, as more support groups give up on poor support services, they look at alternatives. One is available source code and On staff programmers who respond to their employers priorities. Not the market. Linux users of today represent one of their employers most valuable assets of tommorrow. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Emerging Technologies, Inc. http://www.etinc.com > > Synchronous Communications Cards and Routers For > Discriminating Tastes. 56k to T1 and beyond. Frame > Relay, PPP, HDLC, and X.25 for BSD/OS, FreeBSD > and LINUX
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