redhat 7.2

[andrew at bishop.dropbear.id.au]

On Sat, 27 Oct 2001, Howard Lowndes wrote:

> EverythingLinux is a small business that is "real, squishy, flesh-covered
> people" attempting to survive in a highly competitive field.  I know, I'm
> one myself, and I do not appreciate having my already thin margins eroded
> my people such as you copying my ideas and efforts and giving them away in
> competition with me.

Firstly, please let me apologise for the tone of my last response.  I was
trying to help people out, I had never considered that this might have a
detrimental effect on anyone, and someone *dared* to criticise me!  Flame
them!
Please forgive my outburst.

You point out that my actions may cause EverythingLinux to lose sales.
This is correct - at least, in the short term.

When I started using linux, living in university dorms, I didn't even own
a computer.  I had a VT100, and a long null modem cable, which I plugged
into my neighbour's computer.  When I bought a computer, I got linux from
the university's sunsite mirror.  When I moved out of the dorms, I got
upgrades from friends.  If those things hadn't been given to me, I would
not have had them, and I may well have ended up not using linux.  Now, I
buy things from EverythingLinux (and other places).

To try another argument: I'm not "attacking" EverythingLinux.  I am
"attacking" their market, if you like, selling free software - essentially
selling convenience (I bought those CDs because it was more convenient
than getting the software from anywhere else).  There are other companies
that offer the same service (I can't name any based in australia that take
orders over the web and mail CDs out, but there are definitely other
companies selling CDs of free software).  Do they also have the same
obligation you try to place on me to stop competing with EL?  Does EL have
the same obligation to stop competing with them?

Linux, or at least those who develop and distribute it, are "attacking"
the market for Microsoft Windows.  How is this different?

Now, I mentioned EverythingLinux in my original post because I *like* the
company.  I've found them to be the most convenient source of a lot of
linux-related things.  It was a way of saying, "oh, and I got this stuff
from there.  You might find stuff you want there too."  If I hadn't
mentioned that I got the CDs I'm now copying from there, would this
discussion be taking place?

Andrew