[CLUE-Tech] GPL loopholes

[Joe Linux]

I have been using some form of Linux more or less exclusively for 
approximately the past three years.  I certainly agree that Linux has 
come a long way,  and in fact RedHat 9 has an extremely polished look 
and feel with very crisp looking fonts.  It's very unfortunate that a 
simplistic person finds it frustrating that a simple task requires a 
great deal of expertise or research to correct.  I know for a fact that 
many users have been frustrated with the RedHat user permissions problem 
with KPPP.    I paid $50.00 plus to get a version of Linux which is more 
user friendly to me.  I already had Redhat installed; and I had only 
paid about $10.00 for the replica disks from Edmunds-Enterprises.  If I 
had found it user friendly, or simple to fix, I would have stuck with it.  

This thread started out as a discussion of how some companies were 
charging for Linux, while others were giving it away for free.  Libranet 
is able to charge because users with more money than  brains find it to 
be a good value for them.  Linux as a whole represents the singular 
viable challenge to M$, yet unfortunately often falls short. 
 Interestingly Libranet is considered to be just a two man operation, 
yet they have come up with one of the best commercial distributions. 
 These two guys are profiting off ot the free work of others; but then 
again, I am profiting off the work done by the Libranet team even though 
I paid them for there work.  
I've gone into some small computer shops here in Denver that specialize 
in clone machines that they build themselves.  I have asked them if they 
offer a ready to go Linux machine, and they don't.  These entrepreneurs 
come up with the argument that Linux is too difficult to use and 
support.  How do the "named by their parents" subscribers to this list 
respond to that?

FWIW I use the name Joe Linux as in Joe Sixpack meaning I'm an average 
Linux guy - not a Linux expert.  I'm not hiding behind this name,  it 
just happens to be my email address of personal choice - sort of like 
my  sexual preference.  As far as I know, there is no rule on this list 
or the Internet that you must use the name on your birth certificate as 
your email name.  Even if there were such a rule, it would be difficult 
to enforce because many people have the same birth name.

Matt Gushee wrote:

 . . . .people like computer systems that are simple for people  . . . . 
So, while constructive criticism is always good, comments like "it isn't 
very good" just make it sound like you don't appreciate all the hard 
work that others have done for free.

>Uh, guys. "Joe Linux" isn't trying to hide. I don't know why he chooses
>to use a pseudonym, nor do I necessarily approve of it. But he's a
>semi-regular on the list, participates in discussions, usually
>constructively or at least politely, and has given a CLUE presentation
>... yes, in the flesh. I was there.
>
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>So I say give the guy a break.
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