From: hal@cs.uga.edu (Hal N. Brooks) Subject: Re: Ho much USL license(was Re: Is this becoming comp.linux.advocacy) Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1993 04:32:37 GMT
In article <CBKLFH.2pC@cantua.canterbury.ac.nz> Jason Haar <j.haar@csc.canterbury.ac.nz> writes:
>In article <1993Aug8.182127.563@knobel.gun.de> Andreas Klemm (andreas@knobel.gun.de) wrote:
>
>> Who needs Wordperfect or so needs another Unix that's clear.
>
>I've been using SunOS for several years now, and in that time I've NEVER
>has ANY commercial software (well, what didn't come with the OS ;-), on my
>workstation. The only commercial software I used was available on a
>central server.
>
>When I looked at it that way, Linux does _everything_ SunOS does (for me).
>
>I realise this isn't applicable to everyone, but I just wanted to make the
>point :-)
And on the other side of the coin, for those who suggested that
anyone who would use a free OS wouldn't be willing to pay for software,
so developers should not be interested in attempting to make a market
out of it, I'd like to say that I've bought a lot of software over
the years for DOS, a little for OS/2, and I paid $200 for the only
commercial package that I'm aware of for Linux (i.e., Metrolink's Motif).
On the other hand, I'm not particularly interested in Wordperfect,
and I doubt many individuals could pay the prices that are traditionally
charged for the better (and more esoteric) Unix workstation software.
A particularly interesting approach was taken by ParcPlace when they
chose to give away some copies of ObjectBuilder/Object Interface for
Linux. According to the August 1993 issue of the Sun Observer a single
user license goes for $2995. Now I don't see myself spending that kind
of money for my home machine, but don't you know that if I find myself
in a job where it's appropriate I'm going to get the company to buy it
for me.
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Hal N. Brooks Voice: (706) 546-7792 Internet: hal@pollux.cs.uga.edu
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