>>> On Sat, Jul 22, 2006 at 1:57 PM, in message
<200607221357.01687.steve@szmidt.org>, steve szmidt <steve@szmidt.org>
wrote:
> On Saturday 22 July 2006 09:52, Possum wrote:
>
>> This may sound ignorant, but what is the "licensed code?" I mean,
what is
>> the benefit of having SLED over OpenSUSE besides the support?
>
> It's their integration, adobe, mp3 support etc. I'm actually
installing both
>
> to compare them. Obviously their business model is a bit different,
and to
> some extent flawed.
>
> All other mayor distro's will make security updates and patches
available
> for
> free. Novell charge for that service. This on big part of how they
make
> money.
Not true. Some do and some have a business model identical to Novell's.
The difference with Novell is that we will do everything in our power to
fix all problems in house while the community is trying to do the same
instead of relying on the community to make the fixes so it can be "sent
along" to fix a customer problem.
>
> The flaw is really in not letting the user know that updates are
available
> unless you subscribe to their service. You can get the 60 day
license, but
> once it expires you will not know that there are fixes available.
Not true, again. You can subscribe to all of the updates and you can
download them individually without paying a dime. Go here
http://support.novell.com/suseNotifications/index.jsp (you must
have a Novell login - no cost other than some information)
>
> Much better would be to let you know. Let you see all the things that
is now
>
> security or otherwise flawed. But the notification systems just locks
you
> out
> and you are out of the loop. Which for many people will mean there
are not
> updates available.
There are many ways to get detail and Novell does not lock anyone out.
You can get and update your system as you wish, however you pay for the
update mechanism not necessarily the update itself and are free to
download and apply the updates individually as you see fit. As mentioned
above you can also subscribe to alerts for any or all of our Linux or
other product offering at the URL listed above.
>
> Besides from not fitting entirely in how the Linux community is used
to be
> able to have a free ride, Novell insist that you pay for updates. In
all $50
>
> is not very much money for the service. More surprising really is
that
> nobody
> is charging for that. True, in the long run they make their
investment back
> as others continue to contribute in different ways.
You are using free completely out of context with the open source
community and there are several that work in the same manner as
mentioned earlier.
>
> It's not a common business model to bank on the goodwill you plan to
> produce.
> Which says a lot about most companies, whom for the most part just
wants to
> get your money any which way. Just look on all the immoral sales
being done
> by sales people pushing products on people regardless of their need
or want,
>
> because they can.
>
> The fundamental value of open source is that free to have and
contribute
> back
> which creates this big circle of "life". Quite interesting to
observe. There
>
> are few other communities that has such a volume of goodwill. It's no
wonder
>
> businesses have a hard time understanding us.
>
> --
>
> Steve Szmidt
The fundamental value of open source is creating the ability to do with
what one wants to do without any barriers to doing it. What is even more
interesting is how people are capitalizing on many areas that are free
and making a good business out of it. I wouldn't venture to say that
Novell is making a good business out of it...yet. Our competition has
benefited from it and they let everyone else do their work for them.
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