Re: Binary release announcements?

[Greg A. Woods]

[ On Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 09:32:00 (+0000), Andy Jones wrote: ]
> Subject: Re: Binary release announcements?
>
> > People who don't want, or can't, compile their own programs should be
> > looking to their software integration "vendor" for such support. 
> 
> If I understand you correctly, you are saying that people who don't
> feel comfortable compiling programs should buy support?

No, not necessarily "buy", in the way that term is popularly known in
capitalist economies.

NetBSD and FreeBSD (and presumably OpenBSD) users who don't want to
compile their own code can install binaries provided by their system
vendor (i.e. from official release CDs, or from on-line archives
containing signed and verified binaries).  I'm sure the same is true for
most GNU/Linux distributions as well.  There's not necessarily any
monetary exchange involved, though those using physical media may be
paying for its creation and distribution, and of course donations are
accepted by all those freeware vendors too.  What is happening though is
that the OS vendor is providing well tested software integration
services, and some better than average level of trust for compiled
binaries.

Of course those who have opted to pay big money for their operating
systems should expect to pay money for the other tools they add onto
those systems too, even if they only do so by hiring the services of
some contract software integrator with his own compiler.

-- 
                                                Greg A. Woods

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