Re: tlug: Tough business ahead [was: PHT's HA Cluster License]

["Manuel M. T. Chakravarty" <chak@example.com>]

"Stephen J. Turnbull" <turnbull@example.com> wrote,

> These issues are really tough for free software developers whose _day
> job_ is free software.  You really do have to push your uniqueness and
> your contributions, if you're planning to contribute the code in the
> end.  If people don't associate you with something, how are you going
> to make money?  The code won't do it!  It's free!  Every time a
> TurboLinux server ships a package, _Red Hat_ gets free advertising
> (RPM, no?)  How many times did Scott have to tell us, "No, TL is not
> warmed-over Red Hat!"?

True.  Without the ability to hide behind IP, competition in
the "open source" software space will be much tougher[1] -
only market share, brand, and the brains that you recruit
(and keep) protect you.  But it is probably good for the
consumer; PC hardware got cheap and graphic cards got
fancier when life became really tough for the hardware
vendors.  Only that this time the promise is that the
products become more reliable (which was definitely not the
case with the hardware).

Manuel

[1] I actually only realized this fully during yours and
    ESR's talk at the ACM meeting.
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