Date: Mon, 13 Sep 1999 00:23:33 +0100 (BST) From: Andrew Boothman <andrew@cream.org> To: Brett Glass <brett@lariat.org> Cc: freebsd-chat@FreeBSD.ORG, Jay Nelson <jdn@acp.qiv.com> Subject: Re: Brett or no Brett? Message-ID: <XFMail.990913002333.andrew@cream.org> In-Reply-To: <4.2.0.58.19990912134942.04a5d7a0@localhost>
next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
On 12-Sep-99 Brett Glass wrote: > But, just out of curiosity, why do you disagree with the notion of > egalitarianism -- or at least even-handedness -- where distributions are > concerned? If FreeBSD becomes known as, effectively, the property of > Walnut Creek CDROM, it will almost certainly dampen contributors' > desire to contribute. They will realize that they are working not for the > good of all but -- to a large extent -- for the exclusive benefit > of Walnut Creek CDROM. This would not be a good thing, and therefore the > impediments to the creation of alternative distributions should be removed. I've been following this conversation for some time and, up until now, have managed to resist the urge to comment. However, unlike some of the other posters to this list, I say what I say without the slightest anger towards Brett. Brett. I honestly cannot understand your obvious antangonism towards Walnut Creek (For the sake of comedy, refered to as WC). Here's the picture as I see it : 1) If i choose to buy the WC CD set, WC gets some money (they are a for-profit organisation) and the FreeBSD project gets some money (this benfits us all). 2) If I download via FTP (from ftp.uk.freebsd.org to cut WC out of the picture), WC know nothing of and get nothing from the transaction. 3) If I buy the cheapbytes CD set, WC know nothing of and get nothing from the transaction. 4) If I install vis a laplink cable from my mate's box, WC know nothing of and get nothing from the transaction. I cannot see how FreeBSD could be seen as WC's property. There are so many ways to install FreeBSD that don't envolove WC that this HAS to be true. However, I fundamentally believe that WC's CD set is the best way to get FreeBSD. If you leave your ports tree as installed by a release, the vast majority of the 100s of ports are available to you without having to touch a modem. (A godsend if you live in the UK where telecoms costs are a joke and an embarassment) WC simply present the best way to get FreeBSD. If I got unmetered net access tomorrow, I may never buy another WC product again. I owe them nothing. Equally, if another company offered a similar CD set for less, I would be tempted; but it's unlikely they would be offering a donation to the project the way WC does. So Brett. Lighten up. WC aren't the next X-File. They are a commerical organisation that through tremendous insight and foresight gave FreeBSD financial and logistical backing from near the very beginning, so that they could benifit from it's success. I'm sure they have. But they have been riding on the back of FreeBSD's success, NOT the other way round. --- Andrew Boothman <andrew@cream.org> http://sour.cream.org Unmetered Telecoms. Join the Fight! http://www.unmetered.org.uk To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-chat" in the body of the message
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?XFMail.990913002333.andrew>