On 1/29/06, E L <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> I know that you are just trying to be pragmatic
> I know sometimes you need to comprimise and can't be completly idealistic
You are right in this
> But having freeware install party in opensource convention especialy one
> that hamakor spend such large presentage of its badget on sounds very wrong
> to me.
You might be even right in this.
I have my own concerns with this issue, so let me put down the points
I was thinking of
and why did I think it is OK. Actually I even consulted with a few other people
whom I trust and while they were not totally enhusiastic they agreed
that this acceptable.
I know this is a double edge knife. I hope I am holding it on the right end.
The list in no particular order:
1) They give quite a lot of money that allows us to provide a free
dinner on the first evening
for all the participants and in general make it more likely that I
will be able to cover
all the expenses. - I don't want to hide that this might have been
the primary reason.
1a) BTW regarding the HaMakor budget and sponsorship.
I hope it will be use to the last agorot to give discount to the
HaMakor members
so actually that money goes back directly to the members in form
of the discount.
2) They will not get a talk in the main track, they will get space for
their installation
in parallel to other things. They won't get a booth in the entrance either.
So you can certainly avoid them.
3) It will be clearly stated that the Oracle software installed there is their
propriatery software.So people can make their decision. We are
(mostly) grown ups.
4) Having Oracle as a sponsor will make the conference look much more
main stream.
I belive this can mostly help the comunity. There are many people
we would like to
reach (so they learn about FOSS) who will now see the conference
and maybe the
whole FOSS movement in Israel more serious. I know this is
debatable, I think
about what they call serious.
5) There are many companies that have Oracle database on some Unix machine.
They won't replace their database any day soon. Not even if you
give superior
product that costs less. And you still have to convince them your
product is better
for them.
They might replace their OS with Linux (it is more likely than
replacing their database)
so showing them Oracle on Linux is a step in our direction.
What they might be ready to do is to start accessing their
database using some
FOSS tool (usually a P language).
Learning about their technology, will give you more power.
You will be able to show the power of FOSS in partially
propriatery environment.
Heck I think if Microsoft came that they want to show interoperability
with Linux or
how Word runs on Linux I might agree to do that.
IMHO These things just enforce the view that we are not a bunch of geeks who
are against Microsoft but reasonable people who can work with others.
I think that's it. Thanks for bringing up your concerns.
Gabor
>
> Ely
>
> On 1/28/06, Gabor Szabo <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >
> > On 1/28/06, Orna Agmon <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > > On Sat, 28 Jan 2006, Gabor Szabo wrote:
> > > >
> > > > We have just agreed with Oracle to do an Oracle Linux Installfest
> during OSDC.
> > > >
> > > > This means people who bring along their computer will receive some
> > > > Linux distribution and various free (as in free beer) Oracle softwares
> > > > in addition
> > > > and help in installing the sotware on the spot.
> > > >
> > >
> > > Does this mean that people do not have a choice about installing Oracle?
> I
> > > mean, can a person ask that his computer is installed with FOSS only, or
> > > is this a bundle, where you get Oracle with FOSS or nothing at all?
> >
> > I think their point is that only people who want to get the Oracle
> > software will go to their Installfest.
> > This is the reason I would also like to see an installparty during
> > OSDC that uses only FOSS.
> >
> > + I hope I was clear that this is in *parallel* to the 3 tracks of
> > talks so people who
> > attend the conference will always have the choice to attend one of the
> > talks instead
> > of going to the Installfest.
> >
> > Gabor
> >
> >
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>
>
--
Gabor Szabo
Perl in Israel http://www.pti.co.il
08-975-2897 054-4624648 AIM: gabor529
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