Open Letter to Novell

AB3A

Wed Nov 22 07:42:19 -0800 2006

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Bruce, I have always had my doubts about the efficacy of software patents.  In fact, I've had doubts about the entire patent process for many years.  These doubts are not new.  Wherever technological development has been red hot, the patent system has been more of a hindrance than a help.  This was especially true with the case of Edwin Armstrong versus Lee DeForrest concerning the regnerative radio receiver patent.  And here we are nearly a century later still arguing about the impact of patent trolling. 

One of my brothers is a patent attorney.  He has given many seminars and even discussed legislation against patent trolling.  It would be nice to get angry at someone for all this hate and discontent.  However, the truth is that this is one of those well intentioned paving stones on the road to hell.  It's hard to get angry at someone who meant well. 

However, we do have every right to get mad at those who abuse the public trust behind the Copyleft.  I hope Novell gets a clue, but I'm not holding my breath...

 

Open Letter to Novell - show all sigs and/or count of signees?

rubycodez

Wed Nov 22 08:18:16 -0800 2006

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be good to see the petition with all the signatures (but not show email addresses lest the spammer's bots harvest them).  it is open petition, after all

Open Letter to Novell - show all sigs and/or count of signees?

htc

Wed Nov 22 08:29:54 -0800 2006

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I think it is showing the signatures. Just no one had signed it until a few minutes ago ;-)

Ah, there they are!

rubycodez

Wed Nov 22 08:58:59 -0800 2006

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maybe it was my  browser cache preventing viewing

Ah, there they are!

Bruce Perens

Wed Nov 22 09:31:23 -0800 2006

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Well, I just wrote all of the petition software yesterday, so I'm sure a bug will pop up somewhere.

Where does SuSE fit into this?

htc

Wed Nov 22 09:56:03 -0800 2006

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We currently have SuSE installed at work. Should I recommend to the syadmin, that at next upadate time, we 'update' the distro, too?

Where does SuSE fit into this?

rubycodez

Wed Nov 22 10:39:36 -0800 2006

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SuSE is now owned by Novell, and SUSE Enterprise Linux (server and desktop) and OpenSUSE (supported, directed and funded by Novell) are part of the Microsoft / Novell agreement.

Upon hearing of the Microsoft / Novell agreement and immediately realizing the threat it represents to the open source software movement and GNU/Linux in particular, I replaced SuSE with Debian on all my machines, and I urge you to replace SuSE with a distribution of GNU/Linux which has not taken a stand with Microsoft to suppress and threaten the use, growth and future of other Linux and open source projects.

Where does SuSE fit into this?

Bruce Perens

Wed Nov 22 11:15:06 -0800 2006

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I think this whole mess has something to say about for-profit Linux distributions and the fact that they will always have a conflict of interest between the community and the balance sheet. I think the economics of Open Source just doesn't really work well for distributions. I tried to make an alternative work with Userlinux, and will try again. I think the best solution is to have a non-profit core with non-monoplistic service vendors around it. Unfortunately, it doesn't look as if Ubuntu is going to be that.

Bruce

Where does SuSE fit into this?

zotz

Wed Nov 22 11:34:29 -0800 2006

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Can the tweak come instead in the distro's articles of incorporation?

all the best,

drew
Sayings

Where does SuSE fit into this? - edited with additions, ow my eyes from reading websites

rubycodez

Wed Nov 22 12:23:10 -0800 2006

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but the real core (Linux kernel and FSF GNU tools) are non-profit already,  and now we see if for-profits rise and fall around that center or some get to survive.   Plenty of Linux built in to appliances and devices too, probably huge financial successes in that realm that stay under our radar.

These are the commercial (with support) non-embedded GNU/Linux distribution vendors I know of (traitors and/or thieves  and/or stock fraudsters don't get a link), going to be interesting to watch how they weather the storms

• RedHat - most widely used business distribution in the realm of paid support
• Oracle - an Oracle dbms targeted patched version of RedHat, might threaten Redhat's enterprise revenue
• Elxlinux - asian distribution with versions from ultrathin client to appliance to server
• Mandriva - formed from Mandrake plus Conectiva and Lycoris, coming out of bankruptcy with desktop and server versions
• Ubuntu - Debian based for server and workstation, most popular desktop
• Lineox - RedHat Enterprise based
• ESWare - spanish distribution with server, desktop and appliance flavors
• ASPLinux - russian distribution with server, appliance, desktop flavors
• Slackware - targeted for advanced users for workstations and servers
• Turbo - targets global enterprise use
• Athene - business and home desktop system, emphasis on high throughput including graphics
  
• Ignalum - desktop and server
• rPath - virtual Linux appliances
• Linspire - desktop
  
• Linux-XP - desktop
• Santa FE - desktop
• Xandros - Debian-based with home, business and educational flavors
• BearOps - home, business, server, appliance
• EzPlanet One - enterprise server and desktop
• NetMax - server, desktop, appliance
• Netix - "autonic" server
• Piebox - UK based on RedHat Enterprise Linux
• SoL - Server Optimized Linux in Australia
• Tomahawk - Desktop
• Univention - German server
• Red Flag - Chinese server
• Sun Wah - Debian based asian multinational server, appliance, desktop
• Thiz - Hong Kong desktop, server

• Novell/SUSE - traitors, made deal with Microsoft to circumvent patent restrictions of GPL 2.0
• SCO - thieves (charge money for license to use Linux, released GPL code and are attempting to restrict use of that code in violation of GPL), stock fraudsters (claiming ownership of Unix and Linux which they do not have and making false claims of infringing code to inflate stock price), traitors (attempting to monopolize Linux and other free software)

Anyone know of other commercial distributions with paid support (not just one person consulting)?

Now to work on list of heavy-duty support available for non-commercial Linux....

Where does SuSE fit into this?

Bruce Perens

Wed Nov 22 12:27:25 -0800 2006

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There are a lot more, although many haven't gotten traction. Linspire, Xandros, look for the list at lwn.net or distrowatch.* Oops, you just did, and used your editor power. Never mind.

Where does SuSE fit into this? I'll expand list

rubycodez

Wed Nov 22 14:03:35 -0800 2006

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sometimes hard to tell from distrowatch type lists which are commercial or not, but I'm going to go through them all and add to that list I made, just because I (surely some other folk too) am interested in watching what happens to them and would like to have list in one place.

Another neat list would be where to get enterprise-grade paid support for the non-commercial distributions, for example HP announced Debian support in August.

Where does SuSE fit into this? I'll expand list

Matt Fulkerson

Wed Nov 22 14:58:33 -0800 2006

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Enterprise shmenterprise.  Just go to debianhelp.org.  The people there probably know as much or more about Debian than anyone you could talk with at HP.

Where does SuSE fit into this? I'll expand list

itwerx

Wed Nov 22 15:40:45 -0800 2006

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The people there probably know as much or more about Debian than anyone you could talk with at HP.
----------------------------------------
But can you get an expert at 2am in any/every time-zone who is willing/able to stick with you (or just hold your hand if you're a new 'nix sysadmin) until the problem is solved?  There's a reason commercial support costs money, and it's not always the level of expertise.

Where does SuSE fit into this? I'll expand list

rubycodez

Wed Nov 22 16:53:39 -0800 2006

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Nah, we're talking guaranteed 2 hour first response, ownership of issue until resolution, certified configurations and of course a mix of open and closed source software.  Like say I got on the Debian forum and asked about communications issues to ADIC Scalar tape system hooked via McData switch to HP RX8620 running hot Oracle 9.2 RMAN backup via Veritas Netbackup at 2:00am CST?

s'mores

zogger

Wed Nov 22 15:25:47 -0800 2006

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I think these but would have to check, off the top of my head some you missed. With that said, I think most distros you can buy paid support from the head dev who releases it

red flag, mepis, rPath, progeny, CentOS, and any of the BSDs most likely. Heck, I bet you can buy Fedora support for that matter.

s'mores

rubycodez

Wed Nov 22 17:05:17 -0800 2006

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thanks for the additions, I mean to expand by edit to my post the one I made, and then make another one for  datacenter grade support for the non-commercial.  Might be a good resource for anyone wanting to scrap Novell/SUSE and finding this article & discussion.

Where does SuSE fit into this? - edited with additions, ow my eyes from reading websites

Charles E Hill

Wed Nov 22 21:17:55 -0800 2006

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I have serious questions about Athene -- and something that shows the weakness of closed-source software.

Their "graphics superiority" comes from using really good drivers from SciTech Software.  That same SciTech announced on 11/16 that they're getting out of that business totally and shopping around their code-base.

Open Letter to Novell

Charles E Hill

Wed Nov 22 21:22:09 -0800 2006

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On a very ironic note, Alcatel is suing Microsoft over patent violations relating to the X-Box 360 and how it handles video seeking.  Apparently this is related to Lucent's lawsuit, against MS for patent violation.