[CLUE-Talk] Open Source Advocacy and big bucks. Was Re: [CLUE-Tech] Suse 7.3 Again

[Kevin Cullis]

Joe 'Zonker' Brockmeier wrote:
> Anyway, that's my two-cents. Maybe I'm alone in feeling this way
> because I've seen a lot of good people lose their jobs in the Linux
> industry -- not all of them would have kept them if a larger number
> of people had actually bought the software, but some of them would
> have. I'm also sick of the image of Linux users being cheapskates
> who just don't want to pay for anything.

No, you're not alone. I've always purchased distros to support Linux
because it's the "good thing" to do. The nice thing about Open Source is
that if SuSe or Redhat, God forbid, go under, we can still get the
product somewhere. If it was proprietary, it would not be available for
use, but under someones complete control. Most Linux users via
email/newsgroups always use the "it's free!" to sell Linux rather than
"it's Open Source" and that they can contribute to it's success with
purchases of the software and services.  Most see that as "too
expensive."

Take a look at this article regarding Microsoft's new 6.0 licensing
agreements:

http://www.cio.com/archive/011502/meter.html

In the artcle, which is asking CIO's what they think, states in a table
titled "Upgrade Options for Microsoft Office" that "purchasing an
Enterprise Agreement costs $1.6 Million PER YEAR for THREE years" (for
organizations with 30,000 desktops).  Guess what, that's the cheapest!!
If you did nothing and upgraded when you wanted, you'd pay $11.6 Million
for new licenses PLUS $3.4 Million PER YEAR for three years. That's the
most expensive.

Why doesn't Redhat or SuSe talk with these large corporations to ask for
the money and invest in Open Source software like Open Office
development?  What could be done with this type of money for developer's
AND the the level of quality of this software?  If ALl CIO's were to do
this, just think what could be accomplished.

Kevin

-- 

"Success is never final, failure is never fatal" - Kevin Cullis
---
Kevin Cullis
kcullis at coloradoexcellence.org
303-893-CPEX (2739)
Colorado Performance Excellence, Inc
http://www.coloradoexcellence.org