Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 15:41:15 +0800 From: Greg Lehey <grog@lemis.com> To: Mike <muck@ida.net>, freebsd-advocacy@FreeBSD.ORG Cc: supporters@nanyang-computer.com Subject: FreeBSD commercial support (was: Should we approach Redhat, Debian et al.) Message-ID: <19980422154114.33529@papillon.lemis.com> In-Reply-To: <353BCF31.794BDF32@ida.net>; from Mike on Mon, Apr 20, 1998 at 04:41:53PM -0600 References: <Pine.BSF.3.96.980420140851.833C-100000@s8-37-26.student.washington.edu> <353BCF31.794BDF32@ida.net>
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Copying -supporters, so I'm including the complete original messages. Please trim in your followups. On Mon, 20 April 1998 at 16:41:53 -0600, Mike wrote: > Jason C. Wells wrote: >> >> Let me say that I am against the "FreeBSD Inc" organization going >> commercial. Much discussion has been made about what I feel is a >> semi-commercializing process with respect to FreeBSD. This I do not >> like. >> >> In the interest of advocacy, the point has been raised that business >> won't use free software because "Free=not there when you need it." To >> attract more businesses to FreeBSD someone needs to be "there when you >> need it." >> >> Which brings me to my point. >> >> The FreeBSD Inc organization might consider soliciting Caldera, SuSE, >> Redhat, et al to produce a commercically supported version of FreeBSD. >> >> Advantages: >> Wider distribution. >> Commercial support to entice businesses. >> A spot next to Linux on university store bookshelves. >> The first commercial adopter can increase its offerings to customers and >> get an advantage on other Linux resellers. >> Commercial adopters already have UNIX expertise. >> >> Disadvantages: >> Funds being diverted to competitors from loss of Walnut Creek sales. >> Maybe some loss of control over releases >> >> I think there may be a net gain to be had by this proposal. > > I think that about a month ago Jordan posted in > comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc something about providing paid support for > FreeBSD. So, maybe there is already a plan in the works. I assume the > O.S. would still be free, just the technical support would be charged > for. I don't know if this is what Jordan was talking about--a month ago seems longer than I recall--but we're discussing the matter of commercial support at supporters@nanyang-computer.com. You can sign up with majordomo@nanyang-computer.com in the time-honoured manner. We spoke about commercial FreeBSD and decided that the time wasn't ripe, and that it was keeping us away from more important issues. Greg To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-advocacy" in the body of the message
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