[SATLUG] Did everyone catch this--Microsoft takes on the free world

[Victor I. Trevino]

pure FUD.

On 5/15/07, tom weeks <tweeksjunk2 at theweeks.org> wrote:
>
> On Sunday 13 May 2007 18:02, Hector Bojorquez wrote:
> >
> http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2007/05/28/100033867
> > Microsoft takes on the free world
> > Microsoft claims that free software like Linux, which runs a big chunk
> > of corporate America, violates 235 of its patents. It wants royalties
> > from distributors and users.
>
> M$ is trying to play poker with a house of cards here...
>
> M$ wants to charge royalties for free software (as in Liberty AND BEER).
>
> If folks like Red Hat would just stick to the Open Source philosophy and
> maintain that the product that they $ell is NOT software, but _is
> services_
> (which has been everyones message from the beginning in the open
> source/FLOSS
> world), then what's the problem with MS getting OS/Patent royalties?  The
> patented software IS free as in liberty AND beer.  It's the nature of
> FLOSS.
> Follow my logic here...
>
> When you pay $400 for a Red Hat license.. you're not paying for the OS..
> you're PAYING for the right to access to RHN, Red Hat's patching service,
> and
> RH's phone help install support.  That's it... That's right.. You can get
> a
> free legit copy of RHEL5, and maybe even a 30 day RHN patching
> subscription
> to tinker with it.. and the Open Source OS will continue working for
> ever..
> at no cost.  You can get RHEL5 for free at any trade show, sometimes even
> downloaded for free (fully compiled, install ISO images) from the RH site
> at
> times.
>         With Open Source, "The Product" = $ervices
>         With Closed Source, "The Product" = $oftware
>
> So when a RHN trail subscription expires, you can no longer patch the OS.
> Big
> whup.  If you know what you're doing, you can use CentOS or yum repos to
> keep
> it patched (if you prefer).  Unlike M$ Windows which actually STOPS
> WORKING
> when that eval period expires.  In Red Hat's case, it's access to the FEE
> BA$ED RHN system's $ERVICE that you pay for.. and that's the message that
> could make M$'s whole point.. well... pointless. :)
>
> After all.. %20 royalties of $0 is still = $0 in my estimation.. ;)
>
> Tweeks
> --
> _______________________________________________
> SATLUG mailing list
> SATLUG at satlug.org
> http://alamo.satlug.org/mailman/listinfo/satlug to unsubscribe
> Powered by Rackspace (www.rackspace.com)
>