Re: Lindows Issues

["Timothy L. Salus" <tsalus () cboss com>]

A simple thing to remeber is --- any code has to be decoded to be worth anything
--- Therefore any code or system can be broken -- Human error alone stops system
and applications from being perfect

Jonas M Luster wrote:

> Quoting Rohrer, Mark E (mark.e.rohrer () lmco com):
>
> > carried by InfoWorld Daily News on 05/28/2002:  "Executives from Oracle,
> > Dell and Red Hat are scheduled next week to launch what the companies dubbed
> > 'Unbreakable Linux' in an invitation they sent out to the press."
>
> Any lie, repeated sufficienty often, posted on billboards alongside
> 101 and told by sufficently wealthy individuals or coprorations will
> eventaully become subjective truth.
>
> Oracle has not stopped its "Unbreakable" campaign, even _after_ they
> were proven wrong in a way I'd describe as humilating, and people
> still believe them. Who's to blame RedHat for jumping a bandwagon that
> sure as heck will help them not only redefine "unbreakable" to
> something along the lines of "... by a team of ten trained squrls" but
> also has shown to effectively change the perception of the masses.
>
> "Unbreakable" is a simple statement. In its repetitiveness it is
> hypnotic, almost subliminal. The power of those campaigns can be seen
> in past and current industry campaigns, and political approaches.
>
> Now, you and I know that neither RedHat, nor Oracle is "unbreakable".
> And we'd know that one even without having seen the gaping holes in
> both products - we know it, because we know that there is no such
> thing as "unbreakable". Oracle knows that, too. But by assuming
> something that is virtually impossible, Oracle just made the move to
> greater advertising - what better to claim than something no one else
> would or could claim (except Microsoft).
>
> Yet another unanswered question would be: "How long until their
> clients find out they've been had?" and "What's gonna happen then?".
>
> The answers are most likel "long until never" and "nothing". Oracle's
> uber-envyed idol Microsoft shows us that there is no such thing as
> losing substantial client base of uncovered lies or a generally false
> advertising. They also show us that users take a lot of punishment and
> still return (it's called the "Mick Foley Syndrome", read his books if
> you don't get the twist :) for more.
>
> They'll release it, a week later someone will break it, the press will
> report it, and yet another week later your ${PHB} will buy site
> licenses because it's unbreakable. Makes money for Oracle and Red
> "Five years without a remote clue in the default maintainer" Hat.
>
> jonas