Evil SourceForge?

foodog plug-discuss@lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us
Tue, 13 Nov 2001 22:06:52 -0700


Trent Shipley wrote:
> 
> My reading was that VA Linux was maneuvering to:
> 
> 1) Make the engine that runs the SourceForge site proprietary.
No philosophical problems with that, IMO.  I like money too.

> 
> 2) Insure that once a project was hosted on SourceForge that it would be
> difficult or impossible to migrate to any other host.

And people would want to use it in the future because...? They're stupid
and enjoy being trapped?  That market segment's destined for .Net

> 
> 3) Controled a lot of other open source software besides the source forge
> back end.
Life might be easier for them if they became "VA BSD" instead of trying
to "capture" GPL-licensed code.

> 
> 4) One could thus infer a management shakeup at VA Linux with a resulting
> change in business model that necessitated recapture of open source
> investments by VA Linux.
> 
> In other words the VA Linux management is behaving like a pack of
> capitalists.  Shame on them!
> 
> Whatever will the shareholders think if VA Linux should actually show a
> profit or pay a dividend?!

And how better to add shareholder value than burning your bridges behind
you and salting the fields before you?  

New corporate motto: "When the going gets rough, self-destruct!"