From owner-freebsd-hackers Wed Mar 6 09:21:18 1996 Return-Path: owner-hackers Received: (from root@localhost) by freefall.freebsd.org (8.7.3/8.7.3) id JAA06065 for hackers-outgoing; Wed, 6 Mar 1996 09:21:18 -0800 (PST) Received: from etinc.com (etinc.com [204.141.244.98]) by freefall.freebsd.org (8.7.3/8.7.3) with SMTP id JAA06053 for ; Wed, 6 Mar 1996 09:21:15 -0800 (PST) Received: from dialup-usr11.etinc.com (dialup-usr11.etinc.com [204.141.95.132]) by etinc.com (8.6.12/8.6.9) with SMTP id MAA01570; Wed, 6 Mar 1996 12:23:12 -0500 Date: Wed, 6 Mar 1996 12:23:12 -0500 Message-Id: <199603061723.MAA01570@etinc.com> X-Sender: dennis@etinc.com X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Version 2.0.3 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" To: Greg Lehey From: dennis@etinc.com (dennis) Subject: Re: FreeBSD or BSDI Cc: hackers@freebsd.org Sender: owner-hackers@freebsd.org Precedence: bulk >> Julian Elischer writes... >> >>> >>> jkh writes... >>> >>>> Evaluate them both and see what you think. >>>> >>> My personal idea woudl be, "As FreeBSD is Free, you lose nothing by trying >>> it out, and if you don't like it you can then pay for BSDI. Most of what you >>> learned on FreeBSD will be relevant for FeeBSD^H^H^H^H^H^H BSDI. >> >> Only the code is free. The installation costs money. The use of the serial >> line while your trying it costs money. The time it takes to learn how to >> set up and go through the unavoidable setup problems costs money. >> The cost of time exceeds the cost of the software by a factor of 10 for >> BSDI. Its very expensive to chose the wrong product even if its free >> initially. > >Well, I understand your statements individually, and I agree with most >of them (not, a priori, with the ten-to-1 relationship between time >and money--how did you calculate that?), but I don't understand what >you're trying to say. Does this relate specifically to F[r]eeBSD? It relates to any decision. If you waste 2 weeks evaluating something that you could have reasonably decided wasn't what you wanted then the opportunity cost is 2 weeks of productivity with the right product. A top engineer's time and a T1 line to play with and other resources could easily cost over $5000.. If its your time and you'd just be watching TV otherwise then it doesnt cost that much. the fact that the product is "free" is not a selling point. If you can't be reasonably sure that its "as good" or "better" that something else then $500. to $1000. is irrelevant. Dennis ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emerging Technologies, Inc. http://www.etinc.com Synchronous Communications Cards and Routers For Discriminating Tastes. 56k to T1 and beyond. Frame Relay, PPP, HDLC, and X.25 for BSD/OS, FreeBSD and LINUX