On Sun, Aug 24, 2003, Shawn Tayler wrote: >On Sun, 24 Aug 2003 18:00:14 -0600 Collins Richey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >professed: > >> And saddest of all, 99% of all vendors still support this crap and >> refuse to work with linux to make a safe and sound, easy to use product. > >I'll tell you why right now. > >No markup on free software, also the Linux boxes, along with some OS/2, >that I have installed, I hardly ever see, to the point I sometimes forget >the root passwd. They just work, no call backs not repairs, no time and >materials charges. Now the Winblows boxes need attention very regularly, >at least once a month, so there is plenty of billable time.
There's no substantial markup on non-free software either. Microsoft makes 85% of the profit, and the VAR/Reseller is lucky to get 5%. The problem with your second argument is that it's like selling people defective cars and continually billing for repairs. Personally I find this practice abhorent. I have always done business with the philosophy that my job is to minimize our customer's costs, with the most reliable systems possible. We charge monthly support, and handle almost everything using ssh over the 'net or dialups. It's very rare when we have to go on-site other than to install new hardware. It's true enough that there's a major segment of the IT economy that depends on Microsoft's crappy software (e.g. McAfee, Norton, and all the MCSE's who make their living reinstalling Windows). When we go to a new prospect, we have to be talking to the people who actually pay the bills, not to the IT folks since they know that it's our intention to make their jobs obsolete. BTW: We did lose a new customer about a year ago. They came to us to straighten out a Linux mail server that somebody else had installed, and were having problems with their 30 or so Windows machines. We were proposing replacing some or all of the Windows boxes with either Linux or eMacs and getting rid of the full-time person they had keeping the Windows boxes running when the BSA extortionists hit them with about 80 grand in licensing charges. This was the straw that broke them, and the company went out of business. Bill -- INTERNET: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Bill Campbell; Celestial Systems, Inc. UUCP: camco!bill PO Box 820; 6641 E. Mercer Way FAX: (206) 232-9186 Mercer Island, WA 98040-0820; (206) 236-1676 URL: http://www.celestial.com/ Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won'ttake an interest in you. -- Pericles _______________________________________________ Linux-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe/Suspend/Etc -> http://www.linux-sxs.org/mailman/listinfo/linux-users
