On Mon, 7 Oct 2002, at 3:24pm, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: >> Apparently, it is a friggin' *stated goal* to remove many configuration >> options from Gnome. > > So where's the value add to switch from MS? Sure, there's the "it's free" > argument, but for most users, they don't care.
Define "users". For most home and small office users, "free" (gratis) makes a *HUGE* difference. Where I work, we get a number of customers this way. "Here is the Microsoft-based solution; it will cost you $20,000, most of that in software license fees. Here is the Linux-based solution; it will cost you $5000. Any questions?" For corporate environments, where support contracts are a must, "free" makes less of a difference. However, "Free" (libre) *is* important. The Freedom to do things the way they want to; the Freedom to choose their software and support vendors; the Freedom to not be locked into a single vendor. (The hard part is often convincing these corporations they do, in fact, want to be released from their chains, but that is another discussion.) > They don't care which one, and as far as they're concerned, MS is "free > with the purchase of their computer". But if the Linux computer costs $200 less than the one that includes MS-Windows for "free", which one do they buy? :) -- Ben Scott <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> | The opinions expressed in this message are those of the author and do not | | necessarily represent the views or policy of any other person, entity or | | organization. All information is provided without warranty of any kind. | _______________________________________________ gnhlug-discuss mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss
