I Need more coffee

[Jeffry Smith]

On Wed, 17 May 2000, David P. Greenberg wrote:

> 
> Once upon a time, Kenneth E. Lussier spake thus:
>
> :-) As to your comments about software being free on Windows and Linux,
> :-)this is quite true. There is quite a bit of great software out there for
> :-)the Windows platform. But, if you compare free software for Windows and
> :-)Free software for Linux, you will notice one *MAJOR* difference. Free
> :-)software for Linux tends to have the source code with it. So, if by
> :-)chance it doesn't work, then you can potentially fix it.
> Yes, um sure, uh fix it ,right. I don't think I know anybody who has the
> slightest idea what to do with source code. My car came with a transmission,
> but if it doesn't work, I doubt I'm gonna be pullin kick down bands and
> adjusting planetary gears. ("common" user, remember?).

However, you have the option of taking it to your local mechanic (including 
the list here), or the guy who designed and built the transmission
(right to the maintainer of the product), or to a "chain garage" (RH,
Debian, Corel, SuSE, etc), or to . . . .
That's the key.  Not that  you fix it yourself (although you can do
that), but that you have OPTIONS on fixing it.  One of the problems
with proprietary software is that when it breaks, your request goes
into the queue with everyone else's, and you have to hope your problem
is common enough that the company that produces it will fix it.  And,
if they decide that they want you to upgrade, you're SOL (note that
the Linux 2.0 kernel is STILL maintained [I believe a 2.0.39 is in the
works, bug fixes only]).


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeffry Smith      Technical Sales Consultant     Mission Critical Linux
smith at missioncriticallinux.com phone:978.446.9166,x271 fax:978.446.9470
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thought for today:  Economics is extremely useful as a form of employment for economists.
		-- John Kenneth Galbraith



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