On Thu, Feb 08, 2001 at 10:02:32AM +0000, Cliff Sarginson allegedly said:

...

Suse did not create Linux/GNU. They package it and include configuration facilities that they did write (and are not GPL'ed). I am not aware of any software packages that Suse have contributed back (X11 video drivers maybe ?).

It is my understanding that SuSE pays developers to work full time on projects which are then contributed back to the community. They are active in KDE, Reiser, and Kernel Development... There may be more?.

Ok, I stand corrected on that, thanks.

SuSE is not a *cuddly darling bunch of techno geeks*. It is a private company, with bills to pay. And lets face it....the feed back from the US is not terribly heartening as far as business prospects are concerned. Yes, and a lot of companies hoping for lots-of-money-for-open-source-software in the Linux market are not doing that well.

The description you gave may refer to Debian, as this is a non-profit making organisation.If I wanted to use Dedian, I could pay a lot less....but I don't. Well, I suppose I have taken the same decision.

Well,

I do not want to start a flame war...but I will make an observation here.

This is a discussion, some people may turn it into a flame. I expect the usual hate-mail directed at me for daring to have a somewhat different take on this matter !

As soon as a new release is announced...the list is usually flooded with mail complaining about prices and requests for cheap CDs with no support.Hardly encouraging for someone with bills to pay, especially when it is already better value for money than anything else on the market. Prior to version 7, I was paying almost double the US price, but I wanted to use SuSE. I value the extra work put into the distribution.

I have never complained about the price of Suse per-se. I don't like the marketing policy, but that is not quite the same thing.

...

Suse GMBH is a hard-nosed bunch of businessmen seeking to maximise

bucks at minimum cost.

With my heart I agree, but with my head I can not.The very strong message coming from this list has been "I want more for less", and support is not important.

Well it is not coming from me!

...

I sincerely hope the people that Suse have just shoved on the pavement gets jobs soon. Their technical Linux expertise should not make that difficult.

I concur with this.....the best of luck in the future, and my apologies for any embarassment caused by this discussion.

I do not see why they should be embarrassed. People on this list have a very high regard for the Suse people who contribute to this list. Suse may not have realised how much of an advocate for Suse those people are (were ?). Cliff