Art Alexion on 3 Nov 2007 18:46:45 -0000


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Re: [PLUG] Free Software


On Friday, 26 October 2007 19:50, Stephen Gran wrote:
> On Fri, Oct 26, 2007 at 03:28:57PM -0400, Art Alexion said:
> > On Thursday 25 October 2007 11:12:17 Sean C. Sheridan wrote:
> > > Many people may not understand that you may charge for your software
> > > and still have it fall under the category of "free software"
> >
> > I'm not sure I understand how that coexists with "The freedom to
> > redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor (freedom 2)."
> >
> > While a scenario may exist where entity A sells
> > program-which-is-open-source, but allows others to distribute it for free
> > (or for a charge), that doesn't seem like a real world scenario.
>
> That is mysql's business model.  And redhat's.  And many others.
> Seeling software bundling, or support along with the software, or some
> other thing like that, is and has been a viable model, judging by the
> number of companies making bundles of cash at it.

Right, but they aren't really selling software, are they?  They are selling 
support.

Right now, I am working on providing Linux desktops as an alternative in an 
existing MS infrastructure that isn't going anywhere for a while.  I am 
pushing Novell's Suse at this point.  Why?  I like the Ubuntu family more, 
but Novell seems to be offering an out-of-the-box solution that integrates 
quite well with our infrastructure.  I have a copy that I can duplicate as 
much as I like, but I only get support with a license.  So what am I buying 
with the license?  Not software.  I am buying support.

So I still believe in my initial position -- people aren't buying software 
they can get for free, they are buying support contracts dressed up as 
software licenses.

-- 

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Art Alexion

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