Date: Fri, 11 Apr 1997 11:50:42 +0930 (CST) From: Michael Smith <msmith@atrad.adelaide.edu.au> To: ggm@connect.com.au (George Michaelson) Cc: msmith@atrad.adelaide.edu.au, msmith@freefall.freebsd.org, CVS-committers@freefall.freebsd.org, cvs-all@freefall.freebsd.org, cvs-ports@freefall.freebsd.org Subject: Re: cvs commit: ports/editors/staroffice - Imported sources Message-ID: <199704110220.LAA08535@genesis.atrad.adelaide.edu.au> In-Reply-To: <16076.860724321@connect.com.au> from George Michaelson at "Apr 11, 97 12:05:21 pm"
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George Michaelson stands accused of saying: > > The obvious question is: > > why not ask for a native port and not one that requires Linux compat? Because StarDivision are a small company, and a group of their employees have gone out on a limb and done the Linux port at obviously considerable personal credibility risk. Demanding another port of them would be unlikely to enthuse them at all, especially when we emulate the Linux ABI so well. I have suggested to them that they might want to mention in future documentation that the Linux version runs fine under FreeBSD as well, which achieves the same "real" goal (getting our name attached to their product) without getting them offside. Don't get me wrong; I would love to see a "real" FreeBSD port, and indeed "real" FreeBSD ports of lots of stuff; however I also realise that the free *nix market is a frightening place for small ISVs, and saying to one "here, you've done this Linux port and guess what, if you put these words on your marketing for no extra outlay you get this other market slice" is much less daunting than "please hire another programmer and have them work for several months porting your product to another O/S so that I will buy it". FreeBSD's multi-ABI support is a _very_ strong feature, and downplaying it by telling ISVs that they should do a specific port is not a Good Thing. OTOH, telling them that if they do a Linux port, they get the FreeBSD market as well seems to be a very enticing line. > George Michaelson | connect.com.au pty/ltd -- ]] Mike Smith, Software Engineer msmith@gsoft.com.au [[ ]] Genesis Software genesis@gsoft.com.au [[ ]] High-speed data acquisition and (GSM mobile) 0411-222-496 [[ ]] realtime instrument control. (ph) +61-8-8267-3493 [[ ]] Unix hardware collector. "Where are your PEZ?" The Tick [[
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