Message-ID: <3A8DB0D0.5603E01@damncats.org>
Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2001 17:59:28 -0500
From: John Cavan <johnc@damncats.org>
MIME-Version: 1.0
To: Dennis <dennis@etinc.com>
CC: jesse@cats-chateau.net, A.J.Scott@casdn.neu.edu,
        linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
Subject: Re: Linux stifles innovation... [way O.T.]
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Dennis wrote:
> objective, arent we?

You might ask yourself the same question...

> For example, if there were six different companies that marketed ethernet
> drivers for the eepro100, you'd have a choice of which one to buy..perhaps
> with different "features" that were of value to you. Instead, you have
> crappy GPL code that locks up under load, and its not worth spending
> corporate dollars to fix it because you have to give away your work for
> free under GPL. And since there is a "free" driver that most people can
> use, its not worth building a better mousetrap either because the market is
> too small. So, the handful of users with problems get to "fit it
> themselves", most of whom cant of course.

A large bulk of the investment in Linux is starting to come in from
hardware manufacturers, notably IBM. These companies see Linux as a
means to sell more hardware, not as a means to sell software. This is
critical, because it means that it IS worth the money to make the driver
perform correctly, GPL or not, because a bad driver means no sales.

You can't argue from the standpoint of "small market" and then the
destruction of the market itself. By definition, in order for the
software market to be significantly damaged, Linux (and other open
source projects) would have to hold more than a small percentage of the
market. Hence, your market just got big and if you make hardware, you
better make a good driver.

[snip general name calling and other sorts of bashing - remember,
objective?]

John
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