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Date:      Fri, 19 Mar 1999 12:41:05 -0600 (CST)
From:      Steve Price <sprice@hiwaay.net>
To:        Brett Glass <brett@lariat.org>
Cc:        "Jordan K. Hubbard" <jkh@zippy.cdrom.com>, Zippy <seth@freebie.dp.ny.frb.org>, advocacy@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: Netscape browser 
Message-ID:  <Pine.OSF.4.02.9903191204290.22761-100000@fly.HiWAAY.net>
In-Reply-To: <4.1.19990319103804.00a8ec60@localhost>

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On Fri, 19 Mar 1999, Brett Glass wrote:

# At 10:53 AM 3/19/99 -0600, Steve Price wrote:
#  
# >Why
# >would a company write a native FreeBSD binary (for a market that
# >doesn't exist) so the market that does exist can run it under
# >emulation? [2]
# 
# Again, to increase the size of the market. Another big incentive:
# they can include tested, BSD-licensed code in their commercial
# applications without giving away the farm due to the GPL.

That's exactly my (counter)point.  They don't believe the
market exists, so writing it doesn't gain them anything in
their minds.

# >Your FreeBSDulator for Linux idea will only work if we convince
# >them there is a market for FreeBSD and that more people will want
# >to use FreeBSD than Linux.
# 
# I disagree. If that were true, the emulator wouldn't be needed
# at all.

I will be needed so that the Linux advocates can run FreeBSD
binaries.

# >This is the reason that despite all
# >its warts the Linuxulator is probably our best best right now.
# >They develop a product for what they believe to be a safe bet and
# >get an additional smaller market via emulation for free.
# 
# You don't seem to get it. Emulation of a more popular platform
# is not a positive; it's a negative! Sales into the FreeBSD
# installed base are seen as sales into the Linux installed
# base, and native ports never exist. This is what killed OS/2
# Warp. We must learn from history: he who emulates is in a
# weaker position, not a stronger one.

I do get it and I'm not advocating emulation.  I'm advocating
that we pound on their door and let them know that there is a
market in FreeBSD.  We do that by making them aware that we
are using their Linux products in FreeBSD.  If we don't and we
continue to use their Linux offerings we only add to the numbers
that say that Linux is popular.  Yes there is a catch-22 here
in that us supporting Linux emulation can be a hindrance but
we have to find some way to convince them that FreeBSD does
have market share while at the same time convincing people to
use FreeBSD in the first place.

# >What we should be focusing our effort on is getting them to realize
# >that the market for FreeBSD *is* there.
# 
# We can do that as well. But they won't unless they see native
# FreeBSD versions of software selling. (Remember, marketroids are
# completely blind to anything other than sales figures.)

Which is why I have offered my services to several companies
to do a port for them.  They almost always come back with
NDAs (which I have no problem with) and prices in the 5-digit
range to buy in.

# You can't suddenly "turn the tables" like that. Instead, you must
# make gradual, persistent inroads based on your strengths. One
# strength that Linux will NEVER have is commercially reusable
# BSD-licensed code. If we make it usable for Linux via a FreeBSD
# emulation library that runs on Linux, we can start winning binary
# ports. And that's key.

Yes, the tables must slowly turn themselves.

# --Brett
# 
# 
# 



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