This has got to be a most difficult question to answer. Unfortunately, I can't answer your question as asked. I don't know! The real dilemma is that the provider, whether Red Hat or another Linux operation, needs to make a profit or they will go away (I assume). Linux was created with the idea of offering an operating system at NO COST required, an open license to allow a user to have and use as many copies as desired without violating the copyright and to be freely distributed. I believe his goal is to have offered a product available that anyone with a computer can afford. I don't have a fixed price I would be willing to pay. I'd certainly find it easier to dish out $60 than $100 and likewise $100 is easier to pay than $1200. I would be willing to pay the $60 for up2date once I have committed myself to Red Hat and once I found an installation that pays me to install and support it, I would include the cost of at least minimum support... The $60 in the least, or up to $150 for pre-pay one or two support events for the year. I would certainly want the option of additional support if needed. What bothers me is that the GNU license on the product says that If I have the product and wish to distribute it, I can - without recourse! But Red Hat now requires the buyers of their product to sign a contract that takes that very purpose out of the license. If I were to work for a company that has that product, that contract would prevent me from getting a copy to learn from or from installing it on another computer for a backup at the office without paying for it again. If Red Hat's contract is deemed legal, then they have just effectively found a way around the GNU license. Now they can take what is required to be public by license and taken it for themselves and restricted the distribution. I believe that's what the license was trying to prevent. Just my opinion, for whatever its worth. Buck -----Original Message----- From: fedora-list-admin@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:fedora-list-admin@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Stephen Smoogen Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 12:59 PM To: fedora-list@xxxxxxxxxx Subject: What price do you want? Ok I lets just cut to the chase.. what is the price people are willing to pay and how many machines are you going to have? Then figure out how many others you would need to sell at that price for RH to become profitable and grow (going off of SEC filings or whatnot).
