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Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.misc,comp.unix.bsd.misc Path: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au!newshost.carno.net.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!lucy.swin.edu.au!news.rmit.EDU.AU!news.unimelb.EDU.AU!munnari.OZ.AU!news.mel.connect.com.au!news.mel.aone.net.au!grumpy.fl.net.au!news.webspan.net!news.intersurf.net!www.nntp.primenet.com!nntp.primenet.com!news.mathworks.com!arclight.uoregon.edu!news.bc.net!unixg.ubc.ca!van-bc!n1van.istar!van.istar!west.istar!ott.istar!istar.net!n3ott.istar!infoshare!whome!telly!evan From: evan@bigbird.telly.org (Evan Leibovitch) Subject: Re: Linux vs BSD Organization: Sound Software Message-ID: <E575K5.4yq@bigbird.telly.org> References: <32DFFEAB.7704@usa.net> <32F54717.41C67EA6@freebsd.org> <5Pp9y0gTzz1B091yn@ibm.net> <5d81k0$8j4@cynic.portal.ca> Date: Thu, 6 Feb 1997 19:45:41 GMT Lines: 55 Xref: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au comp.os.linux.misc:156507 comp.unix.bsd.misc:2301 In article <5d81k0$8j4@cynic.portal.ca>, Curt Sampson <cjs@cynic.portal.ca> wrote: >If the GPL made software so superior, why has this softare not >overrun Berkeley-type-licenced software already? It's had more than >a decade to do so. BSD, in one form or another, has been around even longer. Besides, one can argue, the overrun has already begun... >Let's face it; the GPL does not appear to do any better a job of >encouraging freely distributable software than the Berkeley-type >licence does. It does, however, seem to attract more participants. >All the GNU licence does is prevent a certain type >of commercial exploitation, which is at best neutral, and at worst >a handicap. Handicap to whom? WordPerfect, CorelDraw, ADABAS, ApplixWare, Wabi and Flagship have all been ported to Linux; How many are available for FreeBSD? Linux Journal is about to come out this month with its first Buyers' Guide; it'll be interesting to see just how much of what's inside is also obtainable in the FreeBSD world. There is enough enthusiasm to cause organizers to feature a special Linux Pavillion at next month's UniForum trade show ... how big is the NetBSD pavillion? Linux was chosen a top-10-of-1996 product by both PC Week and Infoworld. Byte is about to do a major piece on the use of Linux in commercial settings. How much mainstream recognition has FreeBSD obtained? Of course, none of this may matter to FreeBSD users, nor does it have anything to to with code clenliness, or whose TCP stack is faster this month. But it *does*, however, speak volumes to refute the claim of Linux being handicapped in the commercial world in ways FreeBSD is not. You are right; the GPL prevents a *certain kind* of exploitation. But distribution companies such as Caldera and Red Hat, and almost all the firms porting their commercial packages to freeware, not to mention the mainstream media, are choosing Linux first (and sometimes only). Linux is getting installed in commercial settings, has networks of VARs, and its own magazine and tradeshow/conference. Obviously the kinds of exploitation allowed by the GPL are acceptable to the business world. If FreeBSD is less handicapped than Linux in terms of commercial explotation potential, someone forgot to tell the exploiters. -- Evan Leibovitch, Sound Software Ltd, located in beautiful Brampton, Ontario Supporting PC-based Unix since 1985 / Caldera & SCO authorized / www.telly.org Trains stop at train stations. Buses stop at bus stations. I use a workstation.