Stan Hoeppner wrote:
Wietse Venema put forth on 11/30/2009 3:56 PM:
The cost of a modern plenty powerful (CPU/memory) 1U server with a
couple of fast sata disks is around $1000-2000, paid _once_ with no
recurring licensing fees as all the software is FOSS, with minimal power
usage, maybe $100/year. What's the license + maintenance cost of any of
these commercial A/V solutions for *nix/Postfix? I'm just betting the
commercial A/V outlay is probably more than a 2nd box, especially over
3-5 years. No?
I think that there is no need to be hostile towards commercial
solutions (or, at least, to hold IT solutions to different standards
than other all the other things that we are paying for without
getting upset).
Responding to support lists is not a sales strategy, and if it was it
would be the worst strategy imaginable because it doesn't work. We sell
software because we have to make a living but answering on lists is more
of a personality trait of mine than anything else. Regardless, the open
source vs. commercial argument is largely dying because the real
argument, in the US at least, is becoming Google vs. anything else.
Their free offerings are ending the need for Postfix, Amavis, what I
make and countless other email products - commercial, open source or
otherwise. Somehow we have all become addicted to the free stuff that
billionairesgive us while spurning the hard work of a few entrepreneurs
trying to make a living. We are a tiny little company and I answer
stuff to try to be helpful, that's it. Save the cries of evil for
people that matter like Google, we are insignificant unfortunately.
My apologies if my tone seemed hostile. Such was not intended. I am in
no way against commercial (paid) software. There is some very good paid
software out there, many for which there is no FOSS equivalent. I was
merely pointing out that in the OP's case, it would likely be cheaper to
just add another Postfix box, and sticking to software he is already
familiar with. We know this is a proven, no gotcha, scaling solution.
I am always skeptical of commercial vendors who lurk on the support
lists for FOSS products (skepticism != hostility). Especially if said
vendors offer no software that integrates with said FOSS product, but
are merely attempting to devour the weak stragglers of the pack,
convincing/converting them to paid solutions that may or may not be
superior or in the best interest of the OP.
In Mike's defense, he's not hard selling on this list and being a pest.
Though if he was you'd probably boot him, so I'm not sure how much of
this is self control. ;) No offense Mike.
--
Stan
