Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 23:24:25 -0500 (CDT) From: Frank Pawlak <fpawlak@execpc.com> To: jktheowl@bga.com Cc: grog@lemis.com, lfloyd@sonic.net, chat@FreeBSD.ORG, supporters@nanyang-computer.com Subject: Re: The issue of support Message-ID: <199804120424.XAA22223@darkstar.connect.com> In-Reply-To: <Pine.BSF.3.95q.980411214121.256L-100000@barnowl>
next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
The very point that I tried to make yesterday, but here it is stated more elegantly. Frank On 11 Apr, John Kenagy wrote: > > > On Sun, 12 Apr 1998, Greg Lehey wrote: > >> On Sat, 11 April 1998 at 9:02:10 -0700, L. Floyd wrote: >> > I work for an environmental consulting firm that mainly uses PCs (Win >> > 3.x and Win95) hooked to an NT server using Banyan. We have about 1,000 >> > employees nationwide tied together by a WAN. The other day I was >> > talking to one of the IS support people about alternative OSs. I was >> > astonished (at first) to hear that our Corp IS folks would never >> > consider using an operating system that is free. They feel better about >> > spending money for the product, especially if it has good support. They >> > are savy enough or experienced enough to figure out problems on their >> > own. >> > >> > So, in the case of FreeBSD, "support" may invite more corporate users to >> > consider using it.... perhaps. >> > >> > (Of course I did mention that there was massive support via the >> > Internet, but that didn't fly.) >> >> You may have missed the announcement I sent out yesterday. I've set >> up a mailing list to discuss the matter of commercial support at >> supporters@nanyang-computer.com. If you want to sign up, send mail to >> majordomo@nanyang-computer.com with 'subscribe supporters' in the body >> of the message. >> >> You raise an interesting point: should a commercially supported >> version of FreeBSD cost money (not much, but enough)? How about >> 'FeeBSD'? >> >> Greg > > I think that $ = legitimacy in some mind sets. I had a client that paid > $250/month retainer for priority attention. We *still* billed them the > regular rate for service. They also paid about nine thousand dollars for > comm gear so we could get into their system. They never could get the > tempo of "post then purge...";-) > > Joking aside, they felt better about getting priority service. If the > system was down they could not invoice. That meant out of business. > > I think the commercial support alternative is essential for any > penetration in the business world. The other ingredient is the vendor. > "Free" probably means "gone" to a corporation. If the core team, > or volunteers on the current lists don't want to don suits and ties, > then some means of certifying a "reseller" needs to exist. > > That does not mean that I can't sell a FreeBSD system or that my > customers or I can't give it away. I just don't get the Seal of Approval. > A serialized logo if you will. > > It works like this. I demonstrate suit wearing, pie charting, etc. > (You can see my mind set... I used to do this!?) I get a seal. > Corporate types feel good about paying me money for systems. I also > sell service contract with your World Wide Service, Inc. > > What the corporation is paying for is their lifeblood. They need a > face to call that night before payroll is to print or the billing > needs to go out. It isn't the operating system at all. It is the person > that sold it to them. They need to get to you when they need help. > > You as a provider have to have the means of supporting the customer. > That means you have to be in business and have an income. Business > customers are not stupid. They know they must give you money or you > will not be there to help them when they need it. Free = not there. > > I think, Greg, that your suggestion is a must, in some form. > > OK I'm done. Happy Easter. > > John > > > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org > with "unsubscribe freebsd-chat" in the body of the message -- ----------------------------- "At no time is freedom of speech more precious then when a man hits his thumb with a hammer." -- Marshall Lumsden To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-chat" in the body of the message
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?199804120424.XAA22223>