RE: Nonsense Re:.....

["Rodolfo J. Paiz" <rpaiz indahaus com>]

At 1/30/2002 04:58 PM -0800, you wrote:
> Yes, we can do a lot to help others who really want to learn how to use
> computers--in our own neighborhoods, as well as third-world countries.

Point well made, and too often forgotten by many.

> However, I think that Red Hat is trying to run a profitible business, and we
> all benefit when they are.

A point I not only agree with but made myself earlier, in a different way.

> I think that Trond was trying to say that it doesn't make _financial_
> sense for Red Hat to concentrate their money/developers/etc. on a
> low-end (=low memory) install, because they won't reap the benefits.

This is the part I wanted him to define, as in roughly what kind of 
manpower or cost might be incurred. I disagree with Trond's perception in 
that I believe Red Hat's current line of development *is* correct and 
indicated for its primary market today.

***BUT***

There are other markets which are as yet mostly untapped, and the 
investment required to target them is probably not substantive. Many often 
forget that in poor countries there are poor people but there are also 
businesses, governments, etc. who do have significant resource limitations 
but who do spend money.

Why else do you think there is a Linux in Chinese? 1.2 billion people is 
the answer, even if 80% of them fall below the poverty line. Why should RH 
take a good look at a low-mem install for India? Because it's the software 
development powerhouse of the world, because it's also got 1 billion 
people, and because the businesses, governments, and the 200 million people 
(almost the U.S. population) who are *not* poor do spend money.

Mexico has already passed a law that all municipal and state governments 
must use open-source software to reduce the cost of licences from 
Microsoft. At least three other third-world countries that I remember have 
done the same. Hello? Can anyone here see money being left on the table?

> How many of those people using RH on low-memory systems will actually
> buy a Red Hat distribution?  If you get things going, I will
> volunteer my time/resources.

Individuals, almost none. But many, many businesses and governments (a much 
larger market).


--
Rodolfo J. Paiz
rpaiz indahaus com