On Sun, 2006-01-22 at 19:34, Christofer C. Bell wrote:
> > > Pretty simple. Vmware is proprietary software.
> >
> > No argument there. But, you aren't providing or supporting
> > it by providing an image that can run under it. You would
> > be supporting your users that would find that option useful.
>
> It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that if Fedora Core
> specifically targets a proprietary piece of software that virtualizes
> a machine and sets out to run Fedora Core under that proprietary
> software, then Fedora Core is *supporting* that proprietary software.
I disagree. A virtual machine is no more proprietary than a
physical machine. Do we have any complaints about running
under any particular physical machine? I'm not asking for
any changes to fedora to tie it to the virtual configuration
and I'd agree that would be inappropriate. However as long
as you can do a backup of the system and restore to a physical
machine just as you can between 2 physical machines I don't
see any 'specific targeting' involved. I just think
that someone who understands fedora and would like to promote
its use could do a better job of building and maintaining
the image than an outsider - and that such an image would
greatly improve a user's first experience. Maybe there isn't
any such person, though.
> Mike, you're smarter than this. I know it, I've seen it. Give up this crusade.
I'll give up when I'm convinced that I've presented the
point in an understandable way. So far no one has responded
in a way that makes me think they have any consideration
for an end user at all. How about this approach: do
you want to control the first impression a lot of people
will have or not? VMware images will almost certainly be
made. Let's assume they'll be done badly and not maintained.
Would, for example, the FC5 test1 install with video that
is partly doubled and out-of-sync looking be a good thing
for new users to find as their first test drive? If the
image building is left to disinterested outsiders or perhaps
even people with a vested interest in other distributions, that
is very likely to happen.
--
Les Mikesell
lesmikesell@xxxxxxxxx
