>> Selena Sol [[EMAIL PROTECTED]] quoth:
>>
>>I disagree. I would agree with Stas Bekman that the biggest thing that
can
>>be done for Perl advocacy is to find a big company to get behind it.
> Elaine replied:
> Well, if people think Sun and MS are the big bad exploiters of the market
> why would a company behind Perl manifest itself any differently? Companies
> spend advertising dollars on things that will make them money.
I think this is a very powerful and important point. Should we even want to
advocate Perl in the enterprise if the end result of advocacy is the
corruption of the idillyc, pure, and good things about the Perl community?
Would breaking into the enterprise market innevitably corrupt that which, I
think we all agree, is so awesome?
I guess from my own personal opinion, SUN and Microsft are not all that big
and bad actually. I know lots of really nice people at both organizations
and I am also respectful of how much both comapnies have done for the
advancement of technology.
While it is true that both companies have done quite a bit of uncool things
as well, I think overall, it is good that they were there.
I think that Perl has much to offer the world and am still naive enough to
hope that Perl will not be totally corrupted but will remain as a net
positive and that the sturdy grasssroots organization can help it to weather
its successes.
Of course, you must also look at the successes and failures of other
grassroots organizations who have gone into the "big time" (NAACP and Green
Peace come to mind). Do we as an advocacy community think we can survive
going enterprise?
> If you put Perl in a shrink wrapped box and sold enterprise level support
> it might be a bit easier to choose Perl in the corporate environment. It
> worked for RedHat.
I think that would help...but as Stas and others say, you need applicaitons
too :)
> Again, I am not convinced that advocacy is something mere money can solve.
> It might help but people who use it, have a good experience and then talk
> about it or write about are is worth more than an ad in the Standard.
I think you need both. Money won't solve any problems, but sadly, I think
that without money all the advocacy in the world may not get perl much
further than it already is. Money allows you to build critical mass. The
building though, is done through 'real' things like proving yourself,
projects, eferences,articles, and everything else.
> I recommend reading Neil Gaiman's "American Gods" since it reminded me a
> lot of the Perl pantheon and open source mythology :)
Will look out for it. This is his non-graphic book right?
