Date: Sat, 21 Jun 2003 06:38:31 -0700
From: Larry McVoy <lm@bitmover.com>
To: Stephan von Krawczynski <skraw@ithnet.com>
Cc: Larry McVoy <lm@bitmover.com>, jgarzik@pobox.com,
       lawrence@the-penguin.otak.com, linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [OT] Re: Troll Tech [was Re: Sco vs. IBM]
Message-ID: <20030621133831.GA10089@work.bitmover.com>
Mail-Followup-To: Larry McVoy <lm@work.bitmover.com>,
	Stephan von Krawczynski <skraw@ithnet.com>,
	Larry McVoy <lm@bitmover.com>, jgarzik@pobox.com,
	lawrence@the-penguin.otak.com, linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
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On Sat, Jun 21, 2003 at 02:20:48PM +0200, Stephan von Krawczynski wrote:
> On Fri, 20 Jun 2003 09:33:49 -0700
> Larry McVoy <lm@bitmover.com> wrote:
> 
> > All of this is problematic for open source based business models because
> > if the product is truly open source then the vendor is standing on much
> > shakier ground.  What guarentee does the buyer have that the vendor will
> > make it to next year and support the product?  No matter how you slice it,
> > it's a much higher risk equation for the buyer than a commercial choice.
> 
> Larry, sorry, but this is pure bs.
> 
> If a company survives has absolutely _zero_ to do with commercial or
> non-commmercial give-away of products. 

First of all, tell that ti the IT managers, they are the ones you need
to convince.  I believe that I have faithfully and accurately relayed
what I've learned from them.

Second, the point you are missing, on purpose? is that with a pure
open source play there is no barrier to entry for anyone else, they
can take your source and sell it under the same terms.  There is a
reason that the VC's want to know what you have that noone else has
and how you are going to keep them from getting it.  Hate VC's all
you want, they still have a point.

You're welcome to rant and rave about how wrong all this is, but they
are well established basic business principles and your ranting isn't
going to change them, it's going to take something more substantial
to do that.  If you want to change them, start with talking to the
business folks, not me.
-- 
---
Larry McVoy              lm at bitmover.com          http://www.bitmover.com/lm
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