>On Tue, 2004-02-03 at 17:29, der.hans wrote:
>> Am 02. Feb, 2004 schwätzte Derek Neighbors so:
>>
>> > That is my *point*!  With Debian I have freedom.  I get the software
and I
>> > get to CHOOSE my support vendor.  With RHEL I have to pay for the
support
>> > in order to get the software.  At which point if I changed support
vendors
>> > I would be DOUBLE paying for support.  I hope you can understand the
>> > difference.
>>
>> What's to prevent the other support vendor from making the software
>> unavailable?
>
>I don't understand the question.  In the case of Debian, the software is
>available w/o a vendor.  Only the support is supplied by the vendor.  At
>which point if such a vendor started acting in ways I didn't like I have
>the option to leave them for a better vendor.

You have that option with RHEL.  Call IBM, HP, Dell, etc.

>> As for licensing, RH is trying to make sure the number of machines
supported
>> is the same as the number for which support has been paid. RH wants a way
to
>> prevent my purchasing 10 support contracts, then servicing 1000 machines.
>
>I don't have a problem with that, but I think the mechanism they are
>using to do so is not optimal. :)

How would you do it?

>> Do you have examples from other companies on how to manage that? I think
>> it's an important part of the discussion.
>
>Kind of.  For example in a service industry I worked, we didn't charge
>for the software, we charged for the equivalent of "number of uses".  So
>each time you "printed" for example there was a charge.  Don't ask it's
>a strange industry.  We basically had people on the honor system for how
>many installations they had, but then we "pulled billing files" for
>quality counts.
>
>I guess for me, why be the RIAA.  Why treat your customers like thieves
>by default?  If I buy support for 10 machines.  I run 10 machines.  Why
>go through licensing mechanisms to force me to prove it?

The reality is that not everyone is honest.  When selling a commercial
product, it is simply good business to make sure you are not getting ripped
off.


Thomas