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From: mouth@ibm.net (John Kelly)
To: questions@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject: Re: Will we make freebsd a popular OS?
Date: Mon, 27 Oct 1997 15:50:15 GMT
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On Sun, 26 Oct 1997 23:44:28 -0800 (PST), Doug White
<dwhite@gdi.uoregon.edu> wrote:

>If FreeBSD became as popular as Windows, it would be a gigantic moral
>victory.  It'd take a _lot_ of work -- think of how many people you have
>to each XWindows to. :)

I don't think it's too important whether FreeBSD becomes popular or
not.  The people who will have the greatest share in making FreeBSD
better are developers able to comprehend source code and make
improvements to it.  And as long as source code is available, I think
the developers will support it, if for nothing beyond the "hack value"
gratification.

However, FreeBSD could become very popular.

I wonder why B. Gates hasn't already taken the FreeBSD source,
packaged it up with some clever install routines, and started calling
it MS-BSD and selling it!  After all, with the UCB copyright, he would
not be required to distribute source code, as he would have to with
Linux and the GPL.  That's a pretty scary thought.

Just imagine the Microsoft slogans ...  "From the developers of the
classic MS-DOS, today Microsoft announces the MS-BSD internet
server... "  

If BSDI becomes enough of a commercial success for Microsoft to
notice, I wouldn't be surprised to see Microsoft buy them, or failing
that, use FreeBSD to package their own MS-BSD and compete.

John