Mandrake 8.1 - The Sweetest Thing

[W. Wayne Liauh]

Thanks, Warren.

Just a side note.  Most corporations can easily absorb the cost of 
licensing fees (in the form of boxes) at the level charged by Mandrake. 
 However, it is next to impossibility for a corporation to make a 
donation, even to a non-profit organization (legally speaking, this is 
something called "ultra vires"--a corporate officer has no power to give 
money away unless authorized by its shareholders).  Since Mandrake is 
not a non-profit organization, this makes it even more difficult.

Many in luau--or whatever we may want to call it--criticize the per-seat 
licensing model by Caldera.  But if we consider the legal ramifications, 
this (per-seat license for commercial use) is, unfortunately, the only 
way for Linux companies to survive.  For system integrators, you can 
typically charge a markup rate based on the cost of the product.  If you 
are selling Mandrake distro based services, because the cost of the 
product is zero, your markup, at least theoretically speaking, wil also 
be zero.  Microsoft was able to achieve such a dominating position 
partly because it has an army of well paid system integrators.

That said, you are providing an excellent service (to the LInux 
community and to us) by giving out LM8.1 CDs and/or making available a 
mirror site to "individual" users.


Warren Togami wrote:

>I've been testing Linux Mandrake 8.1RC1 since last week, and I would have to
>agree it is VERY GOOD.  You can download Mandrake 8.1 now, but the mirrors
>are very clogged at the moment.  I'll try to make a mirror tonight.
>
>I personally would never buy Mandrake boxed sets... waste of packaging.
>Download your Mandrake, and if you really appreciate their work donate on
>this page.  http://www.linux-mandrake.com/donations/  You can even choose
>the project within Mandrake that you want the money to go toward.
>
>If you donate to Mandrake rather than buying boxed sets, all of your money
>goes to Mandrake rather than retailer middle-men, packaging costs or
>shipping.  On the down side, you don't get the tech support that comes with
>the boxed set.  But that's fine, post your questions here and we'll help you
>out.  Many of us are Mandrake users, or Mandrake aware (very similar to Red
>Hat).
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "W. Wayne Liauh" <LiauhW001 at hawaii.rr.com>
>To: "Linux & Unix Advocates & Users" <luau at list.luau.hi.net>
>Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2001 1:23 PM
>Subject: [luau] Re: Mandrake 8.1 - The Sweetest Thing
>
>
>>Sorry that I missed the meeting (the Hawaii Bar Association meets today
>>and tomorrow and I need to get a few things done to make up my absence
>>from office for these two days).
>>
>>BTW, is there any LM8.1 disc available?  Thanks.  If it works well I
>>plan to send in my purchase order for the workstation version from
>>
>Mandrake.
>
>
>
>
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