Date: 15 May 2003 11:43:56 -0700 From: swear@attbi.com (Gary W. Swearingen) To: dyson@iquest.net Cc: advocacy@freebsd.org Subject: Re: a public relations opportunity for BSD Message-ID: <ikd6ikyrrn.6ik@localhost.localdomain> In-Reply-To: <3EC32599.F8C211EE@iquest.net> References: <3EC2FB53.67559AB6@bellatlantic.net> <20030515025309.GA28371@mooseriver.com> <3EC32599.F8C211EE@iquest.net>
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I've moved the CC from hackers@ to advocacy@. John Dyson <sam@iquest.net> writes: > I tend to agree that 'dancing' on someone elses misfortune or > 'grave' isn't a good thing. I consider it on a case-by-case basis, but Linux is "family", and we (sic -- there's no "will" here) need them in OUR misfortune. > BSD (esp FreeBSD) shouldn't be an OS > that is based upon hatred of Microsoft, Linux, Commercial software > or GPLed software. Those are the only reasons I support FreeBSD, and I think the BSDs would do well to keep digging at that corner of their niches too, especially in the embedded field (mostly NetBSD now?). > It is best to avoid considering 'Microsoft', 'commercial software' > or other such things as the 'enemy.' Maybe it's best to hide such considerations, but I very much consider M$ to have been the enemy of technological advancement over the last 20 years, which has cost the world untold time and dollars. The fact that they have done more for the bulk of computer users than other OS developers doesn't excuse M$, since we should require much more from those to whom much more has been given (eg, by the foolishness of IBM). (I actually blame past M$ users more than M$, but M$ is a better foe. :) (As I observe the 1984-ish down-side to the advancement of computing in the wrong hands, I'm caring less about the damage done by M$, but old emotions die hard.) It's a quite valid to use the failings of your competitors to win people away from them, if done right (and better than I'm capable of). I dare say most M$ hatred is among M$ users, and reminding them of it is apt to encourage some to try something else. The M$ lovers are a lost cause anyway; no sense keeping them happy. I recently read one saying their shop won't hire anyone who has Unix in their background. Sorry, but we do have (and are) enemies. It will take a lot more than a few slightly better features for server use and administration than Linux, to keep the BSDs abreast of Linux in the battle with M$. Both are on rolls that the BSDs aren't, sad to say. The BSD's few better features are not enough to keep the niche from shrinking away. But I suspect that the BSD's virtual offer to developers of one's own little niche to enjoy digging in, will keep them around a long while, but shrinking as Linux gets better faster, unless it becomes too hard to keep up at all (in either kernel features or application porting). Then, the only part of the niche will be for embedded software users who don't want to derive from copylefted software (if really free software is still around). Keeping BSD-like licensing an important aspect of the BSD niche should be an important part of the BSD survival mechanism.
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