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Typo or no...
With or without the typo that makes no sense.

RedHat's business is selling services NOT SOFTWARE. The
software is mostly covered under the GPL (I think they put in
non-GPL stuff by others to save users "hassle" - the RealPlayer is
an example). It IS open source (or whatever you want to call it -
"free software", "freedom software" - whatever) what RedHat do
with it doesn't change its nature.

RedHat "package" the software (assemble if you like) and then
sell subscriptions (support packages - at least in part). This isn't
what Microsoft do, they sell a license to use their "closed source"
software. If you run their software without this, you're "stealing"
it (perhaps "stealing" is the wrong word here - this is like
sneaking in to see a movie without buying a ticket. I'm not
saying it's not wrong - I'm just saying "stealing" has a slightly
different meaning).

Both have a right to exist, they are different business models
(and come to that development models). There is nothing "stale"
about RedHat's business model - they are not acting against the
GPL, it is not "wrong" in anyway, it just isn't how Microsoft do it.
Posted by: Jeremy Chappell   Posted on: 04/10/06 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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It IS inevitable  Sabz5150 | 04/10/06
It is a defining moment, 1/3 of a billion is not small change.  DonnieBoy | 04/10/06
RE: It IS inevitable  markbn | 04/11/06
Open source piracy  Anton Philidor | 04/10/06
Have to correcft this typo.  Anton Philidor | 04/10/06
Typo or no...  Jeremy Chappell | 04/10/06
Your bill...  Anton Philidor | 04/10/06
what part are you missing Anton?  Monkey_MCSE | 04/10/06
If every buyer...  Anton Philidor | 04/10/06
Everyone *can* get RedHat's software without payment  mosborne | 04/11/06
Actually...  LinuxHippie | 04/10/06
Right question, wrong answer  Yagotta B. Kidding | 04/10/06
You have no real concept of the difference, do you?  el1jones | 04/10/06
Is Red Hat selling services...  Anton Philidor | 04/10/06
Piracy?  Richard Flude | 04/10/06
Exclusivity in open source.  Anton Philidor | 04/10/06
Where are the strategies similiar?  Richard Flude | 04/10/06
Let's try a hypothetical situation.  Anton Philidor | 04/10/06
So hypothetically they are similiar? Clearly they aren't  Richard Flude | 04/10/06
People buy from Red Hat...  Anton Philidor | 04/10/06
Consumers vs Enterprise consumer  Richard Flude | 04/10/06
Piracy (free version) helps MS just like a free version helps RedHat  DonnieBoy | 04/11/06
Who writes this drivel???  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/10/06
It already has  Richard Flude | 04/10/06
Enterprise Versions  imcdermid | 04/11/06
Open Source Dilemma  think_tank | 04/11/06
Kinda backwards...  techboy_z | 04/11/06
Backward and forward...  think_tank | 04/11/06
Red Hat is an open source monopoly  think_tank | 04/11/06
Oh please  mosborne | 04/11/06
He's right...  techboy_z | 04/11/06
Not Silly  think_tank | 04/11/06

What do you think?

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