Date: Sun, 9 Jul 2000 01:11:02 -0700 From: "David Schwartz" <davids@webmaster.com> To: "Brett Glass" <brett@lariat.org> Cc: <chat@FreeBSD.ORG>, <advocacy@FreeBSD.ORG> Subject: RE: Emulation (Was: No port of Opera?) Message-ID: <NCBBLIEPOCNJOAEKBEAKGEKJJJAA.davids@webmaster.com> In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.7.2.20000709004740.049f9740@localhost>
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> At 12:31 AM 7/9/2000, David Schwartz wrote: > > If it's in fact easier to officially support the Linux > version on FreeBSD, > >then that will provide a great stepping stone for getting to real FreeBSD > >support. Later, with a proven customer base and demonstrated interest, a > >business case can be made for improving FreeBSD support. > Unfortunately, David, they won't know which users are running FreeBSD, and > therefore will not be able to quantify that customer base. It is therefore > unlikely that their marketers will be able to make a case for the native > port. > > --Brett While I think that this could potentially happen, I don't think it's inevitable. A lot hinges on how vocal and visible the FreeBSD crowd is. Let's consider a case where it might matter. You have to make a few assumptions, or it doesn't even matter: 1) The company has a Linux build. (Otherwise, it doesn't matter whether or not FreeBSD has Linux emulation.) 2) They don't [yet] have a native FreeBSD build. (Otherwise, it doesn't matter whether or not FreeBSD has Linux emulation.) 3) The Linux build works on FreeBSD under emulation. (Otherwise, it doesn't matter whether or not FreeBSD has Linux emulation.) Now think about what happens given that these three things are true. Having the Linux version being used on FreeBSD can only increase the number of people talking about the product and FreeBSD. Now, two things are possible: 1) The non-native build works perfectly under FreeBSD. (In which case, except for OS bigotry, there is no reason to have a FreeBSD-native version.) 2) A native build would work significantly better. (In which case, the only reason for the company not to make a native build is if it doesn't justify the improvement (in which case, they _shouldn't_ make one just to make the FreeBSD crowd happy), or it does (in which case, if they're smart, they'll make one.) Having more ways to support FreeBSD only increases the chances that FreeBSD will be supported. And being OS bigots about how its supported doesn't help anyone. DS To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-advocacy" in the body of the message
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