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SubjectRe: Linux (free s/w) support
On Mon, 29 Sep 1997, Dan Hollis wrote:

> On Mon, 29 Sep 1997, Alex Belits wrote:
> > I don't know, how to explain it to management, they for some reason say
> > "there will be no one to sue if free software fail", so I assume they
> > are until some delusion that they can sue commercial software vendor for
> > anything.
>
> lawsuits are "the american way(tm)(c)", you know.
>
> management types are under the delusion that if they sue, the problem will
> magically go away. having a scapegoat gives them Warm Fuzzies(tm).

Show them the commercial license they bought that disclaims all
liability for everything except the media. Ask them if they really
want to spend a vast sum of money in a drawn out court case to
try and, first of all, overturn this license (which, to the best
of my knowledge, *no one* has attempted in any of the major countries
yet) or if they want to get the problem fixed and their company
making money again. Ask for a written reply which may be used in
evaluation of future contracts. Read the reply carefully. You may
wish to call some recruitement agents.

Remember, if the problem is major the company is either going to
fix it or go under - suing them increases the risk to you. If the
problem is pretty much specific to you suing them _might_ get their
attention - but you will have to make all the running, taking them
to court to force disclosure, arranging expert witnesses etc. while
they can just stall, drag their feet etc. Getting results through
legal action against them is going *COST*. Which is why it rarely
happens in the software world - except as a means of negotiating
an exit out of very specific contracts (as opposed to general
purchase contracts).

Mike

--
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| Mike Jagdis | Internet: mailto:mike@roan.co.uk |
| Roan Technology Ltd. | |
| 54A Peach Street, Wokingham | Telephone: +44 118 989 0403 |
| RG40 1XG, ENGLAND | Fax: +44 118 989 1195 |
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