Re: Back to the Dark Ages.

[Kevin McLauchlan <kmclauchlan -at- chrysalis-its -dot- com>]

On Tuesday 18 June 2002 12:40, Bruce Byfield wrote:
> Kevin McLauchlan wrote:
> >And I should have made clear that paying the (say)
> >75 bucks for a boxed set of (say) SuSE Linux 8.0 is
> >a ONE-SHOT thing.
>
> Why pay even $75? You can download a complete
> distribution via a fast connection in under half an hour.
> Of course, you don't get support, but you don't get more
> than basic installation support for $75, either. If you
> want more, you'd have to pay.

Well, some of the distributions do not make available ISO 
images for download, or like SuSE -- which includes nearly 
2500 apps in addition to the kernel and core files -- they 
don't include most of the apps in the downloadable version. 
I suppose that's because so many people still do have 
slow-speed dial-up connections and they're catering to the 
wider audience/market.

Certainly, you can download source and compile your own. 
If you are up to it, that's the most flexible way to go, and 
is the method of choice for integrators and for some 
consultants who build custom installations for their 
clients.  It's also a great way to learn, if you are a geek 
or enthusiast.

From the distro companies that make ISO images available,
you can download those and create your own CDs.  And for the 
rest, you can download and futz with a mess of RPMs or 
other package-manager packages.  APT-get is really starting 
to shine...

Actually, I paid over $100 in my dollars for the most recent 
"Pro" version of SuSE (I'm Canadian, our dollar sucks),
just 'cuz I like the convenience of having it all nicely
packaged on 7 CDs -- and even better -- on a single DVD. 
As well, being an old-fashioned kind of guy, I like having
the hefty printed manuals to fondle (although they are also
included in the distro as PDFs and HTML docs, for ease of 
searching).

You are correct, that the "support" you get from buying 
the boxed set, ends with getting it installed on your PC, 
sufficiently that it'll start up.  Getting it configured 
beyond that is up to you.  But on the third hand, the 
automated installers do an excellent and transparent job 
when they detect and configure most common/standard 
hardware.  And when there are problems, you generally 
get useful logs and error messages to help you figure 
out why your BassoProfundo Mark III combination sound card
and central vacuum cleaner is not being properly configured.

Red Hat has already teamed with some PC companies to 
have fully-configured, pre-installed Linux computers, in 
place of the pre-loaded Windoze that we've been accustomed 
to seeing.  SuSE recently partnered with IBM and others.

My experience with SuSE is that the suse-linux-english 
<suse-linux-e -at- suse -dot- com> mailing list has been a fabulously 
comprehensive and responsive resource.   Much like this list
and the two Framers lists, as a matter of fact.

The people who who might actually pay a Linux company for 
support would tend to be corporate IT departments. But then, 
they'll pay less than they would pay to Microsoft and get
more for the money. As well, their servers and network
systems will be more reliable... at least that's what all
the converts have been reporting. My own employer is rushing 
to swap out all our NT servers for Linux, except for the one 
running Great P(l)ains. They'll also upgrade ONE server to 
keep running Exchange Server 2000 for a while longer, but 
even that one is living on borrowed time.

The nails in the coffin were:

1) Uncle Bill wanted some really big bucks for Win2K on 
our servers and our desktops (we're still an NT house), 
and was using pressure tactics to get us to upgrade 
sooner, rather than later (i.e., a price window that 
closes this summer).

2) The intrusive nature of WinXP.  There's a rumor that 
 our beloved IT manager threatened to quit if she had 
 to roll out XP.  Given that she's not only competent 
and hard working but literally beloved around here... 
well...  :-)

> >You don't need to pay again when
> >you install on the PCs of the next 600 employees.
>
> Unless, of course, you use Caldera, which has moved to a
> per-seat licensing program. Fortunately, however, there's
> no compelling reason to use Caldera as opposed to any
> other distribution.

Exactly.  So, don't.  :-)

Meanwhile, our company push toward Linux desktops had 
stalled for a while, but is back on track.  I was not ready 
to abandon FrameMaker, until OpenOffice1.0 and StarOffice 6
came out, but now I'm re-working all my current documents.

As soon as our ClearCase/ClearQuest administrator gets 
the Linux access working, I'll be able to finally stop using 
Windows entirely. 

So, that'll be one less MS-Office license, one less Outlook, 
no more upgrades for FrameMaker or Illustrator or Visio 
(OpenOffice, the GIMP and Dia and Qcad are good enough 
for me).     Feels good to be a successful guinnea-pig.

Software wise, I now cost much less than before.

Geof H. did make the point that some of you are required to 
produce WinHelp and, while I haven't needed it myself, 
I've not found a Linux tool for that format (I've only been 
looking since yesterday afternoon... :-). But, for HTML, 
XML, etc., etc., there are plenty.   Of course, if a demand 
is perceived, then somebody in the Linux world will surely 
develop a WinHelp composer or converter.

Cheers,

/kevin
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