From owner-freebsd-advocacy Wed Apr 22 02:44:59 1998 Return-Path: Received: (from majordom@localhost) by hub.freebsd.org (8.8.8/8.8.8) id CAA06257 for freebsd-advocacy-outgoing; Wed, 22 Apr 1998 02:44:59 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from owner-freebsd-advocacy@FreeBSD.ORG) Received: from freebie.lemis.com (freebie.lemis.com [139.130.136.133] (may be forged)) by hub.freebsd.org (8.8.8/8.8.8) with ESMTP id JAA06134 for ; Wed, 22 Apr 1998 09:44:28 GMT (envelope-from grog@lemis.com) Received: from papillon.lemis.com ([192.122.138.250]) by freebie.lemis.com (8.8.8/8.8.7) with ESMTP id TAA22904 for ; Wed, 22 Apr 1998 19:13:57 +0930 (CST) (envelope-from grog@lemis.com) Received: (grog@localhost) by papillon.lemis.com (8.8.8/8.6.12) id PAA00578; Wed, 22 Apr 1998 15:41:16 +0800 (SGT) Message-ID: <19980422154114.33529@papillon.lemis.com> Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 15:41:15 +0800 From: Greg Lehey To: Mike , freebsd-advocacy@FreeBSD.ORG Cc: supporters@nanyang-computer.com Subject: FreeBSD commercial support (was: Should we approach Redhat, Debian et al.) References: <353BCF31.794BDF32@ida.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii X-Mailer: Mutt 0.89i In-Reply-To: <353BCF31.794BDF32@ida.net>; from Mike on Mon, Apr 20, 1998 at 04:41:53PM -0600 WWW-Home-Page: http://www.lemis.com/~grog Organization: LEMIS, PO Box 460, Echunga SA 5153, Australia Phone: +61-8-8388-8286 Fax: +61-8-8388-8725 Mobile: +61-41-739-7062 Sender: owner-freebsd-advocacy@FreeBSD.ORG Precedence: bulk X-Loop: FreeBSD.ORG 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