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Date:      Fri, 28 Apr 2000 10:30:54 +0200 (CEST)
From:      Konrad Heuer <kheuer@gwdu60.gwdg.de>
To:        "Jordan K. Hubbard" <jkh@zippy.cdrom.com>
Cc:        freebsd-advocacy@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: Important: Open Source & German Federal Government 
Message-ID:  <Pine.BSF.4.05.10004280932140.83401-100000@gwdu60.gwdg.de>
In-Reply-To: <6868.956854927@localhost>

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On Thu, 27 Apr 2000, Jordan K. Hubbard wrote:

> > I don't think we should bash Linux or start a flame war here, but we co=
uld
> > try to articulate that both - FreeBSD and Linux - should have their pla=
ce.
> > Why shouldn't we try something like `FreeBSD for the server - Linux for
> > the desktop' (just to suggest a - probably too - simple slogan).
>=20
> And what forum should this take place in so that the german government
> will see and react to it?  It's all well and good to ask BSDi to take
> an active role in this, but they're going to ask precise questions
> about what information they should release and to whom...

Sorry that my first mail wasn't precise enough.

Well, the KBSt (let me use that abbreviation) people ask for general
feedback (including any reports about experiences with open source
systems) via e-mail:

troles@kbst.bund400.de

So why should we who have experiences with FreeBSD not send them some
information about what we do? That's my first intention. There will be
someone who can tell about FreeBSD on the desktop with KDE and Applixware,
and there will be someone who can tell about a web server with FreeBSD,
apache and mysql and so on. Of course I'll send them mail about what I do
but a single vote won't change much. So my first hope is that more than
one message will arrive at KBSt to make them know that FreeBSD is already
widespread and a successful open source system.

And what can BSDi do? I think they could be able write a mail to KBSt,
too, with some statements like this:

FreeBSD is and will stay an open source system with these features (fill
in here all you like). As far as we can see the next major release will
include these new features (fill in again). There are lot of important and
useful open source (...) and commerical software products (...). FreeBSD
is used by some well-known ISPs (...), and commerical, reliable support is
provided by .... Furthermore, a lot of Linux software (...) is perfectly
runnable under FreeBSD.

I know GeNUA in Kirchheim/Germany sells and supports BSD/OS but BSDi will
of course know better about commerical support in Europe (including
Germany). Since SuSE plays a very active role in supporting in Linux in
Germany Linux is in good position here, no doubt.

Maybe my ideas of what BSDi could state are completely nonsense but I all
I wish is to make people know that FreeBSD is an excellent open source
system although isn't as popular (yet?) as Linux. :-)

The IT strategy the KBSt will fix in June will be influence many decisions
in many administrations in the years to come.

Thanks for reading so far and for your patience.

Konrad Heuer                                    Personal Bookmarks:
Gesellschaft f=FCr wissenschaftliche
   Datenverarbeitung mbH G=D6ttingen              http://www.freebsd.org
Am Fa=DFberg, D-37077 G=D6ttingen                   http://www.daemonnews.o=
rg
Deutschland (Germany)

kheuer@gwdu60.gwdg.de



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