Redhat taking a beating - stock opportunity here?

[Evan Leibovitch]

Christopher Browne wrote:
> Ah, but part of what gives RHAT credibility in the Linux market is the
> fact that they are paying salaries for various developers of important
> Linux-related components, whether that be kernel, compilers, libraries
> (libc), and other such stuff.
And all that credibility and $2.75 (exact change, please) will get you
on the TTC.

Almost everyone who would use open source mainly because of its social
conscience is already doing so.

The IT decision makers who are yet to change don't give a rat's behind
about what they're funding when they purchase software licenses, whether
it's Linux kernel development or Larry Ellison's yachting experiments.
Lots of people who despise Microsoft continue to use its product for a
variety of reasons.

In corporate IT, credibility is measure by the ability of a vendor to
deliver on its promises. The number of developers being funded -- be
they paid staff or community volunteers -- simply isn't part of the
equation, and never really has been. In any case, let's not forget the
amount of Linux talent that Oracle itself now needs to employ, to
maintain the credibility that matters to _them_.

In any case, even those working with Oracle's support still need to buy
Red Hat's core product unless I missed the message that Oracle is
supporting Fedora as well. It's just that they don't need to give RH a
cent beyond that initial purchase and upgrades. Boo Hoo.

As I recall the utter contempt that Red Hat has traditionally had for
working with the rest of the community -- as a matter of corporate
culture, acting as the 600 pound gorilla of the Linux world -- I shed no
tears as they confront Linux competitors bigger and more aggressive than
they are.

(I attended the meeting at which the LSB was formed. Out of more than 40
people in the room, only Red Hat voted against its creation.)

- Evan

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