Date: 04 May 1998 06:22:19 -0600 From: misfit@xmission.com (Anthony C. Chavez) To: freebsd-advocacy@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Andreessen: Linux use growing Message-ID: <87n2cyp6o4.fsf@misfit.users.xmission.com> In-Reply-To: "Kriston J. Rehberg"'s message of "Sun, 03 May 1998 23:27:54 -0400" References: <XFMail.980503135211.freelist@webweaver.net> <354D35BA.CE963812@ibm.net>
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"Kriston J. Rehberg" <kriston@ibm.net> writes: [moderately-sized snip] While your commentary about FreeBSD's name getting in the way of its reputation in the OS market are true and valid, I have to say a few things on its defense. Let me begin by saying that I've heard this one a thousand times, and each time it gets more and more dull. If it's not your best friend who blurts it out at you (thinking that he's helping in some way, when in fact he's twisting the dagger that one of your enemies placed in your back), it's the insane, unstable, and unreliable power structure that rules this world with an iron fist. Granted, a lot (and I do mean A LOT) of the free software of yesterday is quite bluntly, crap. But, times, they are a-changing! The free Un*x world is in a state of flux. Things are constantly changing. Newer and better ideas are replacing old ones and things are becoming very positive. I have been a free Un*x user (including Linux and FreeBSD) since the week after Windows95 came out (an interesting story is attached to that---I used Win95 for only a couple of days before installing Linux over it and haven't gone back). I have seen the once cluttered and unattractive world of the free Un*x evolve into something that is becoming more and more beautiful as time passes. A good example of this metamorphosis would be to compare something like fvwm (old and weak, but tolerable if you take the time to work with it) with AfterStep or WindowMaker (both excellent clones of the NeXT desktop). Both are a bit unstable at the moment, but are definitely showing promise. New features are being added constantly. Now, I said your statements were true, and I'm repeating it here. It is true that FreeBSD (and other free software) will get associated with cheap imitations, the poor freeware of yesterday, etc., but I really don't think that anyone already using FreeBSD really cares. We already know that it is power in its most raw form, without a lot of corporate oppression. I hope that FreeBSD's name will NEVER change. On a positive note, it keeps those "in the know" in control, and the multitudes of clueless idiots (who hide behind Micros*ft or other companies because they don't want to take the time to really learn about computers) out of the picture. Face it. The best things in life are free. -- Anthony C. Chavez <misfit@xmission.com> To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-advocacy" in the body of the message
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