[ic] Re:[mv] Interchange now a Red Hat product (DANGER...)

[IC-Admin]

Carl wrote:

> But getting any assistance on how to connect CCVS to a bank, Redhat
> didn't have a clue, nor would they give any!

[snip]

> But Redhat almost destroyed this (I do like RedHat, its just my dealing
> with them on CCVS showed that RedHat obtained a great product but didn't
> have clue as to what it could/could not do). I pray this does not happen
> with Minivend/IC.

Noone would like that to happen, I assume. But I wouldn't worry about it.

You have to allow a company to generate revenue. As they can't make money
with the software,  they have to build a structure whereby they can
offer services you have to pay for. Getting an open source program
explained is such a service. How else should they compete against the big
companies, who will either open up their source code or dump their
software prices and who have already service structures like that
in place ?

If they would neglect those services or overprice them, then they can't
make it. If they would give it away the services at no cost, they won't
make it either. 

This is what Germans call my little "Milchrechnung"

I guess they have to offer excellent services and you pay a reasonable
price for everything you can't figure out on your own. How far Red Hat
could make this the fundamental principle, could become a somewhat ethical
question of consultancies in general.

If the consultancy comprises teaching with the goal that the customer is
empowered to set up and build his system on his own, they will have to
teach and you pay for it. If the consultancy comprises of building and
setting up systems, then they don't have to teach, they have to set-up and
maintain. In reality it most probably will always be a mixture of both,
because the customer might want to get taught in order to save on
maintenance.

Or can someone explain another way of making income for a company who
deals with open source software and doesn't sell hardware ?

Anyhow, Minivend from day one and I think Tallyman too, as well as
then IC, stood steadfast behind leaving the source code open. Considering 
the make money fast climate in those early days when both packages were
still babies, that deserves high respect from the developers and
so far Red Hat has my respect in that matter as well. I am not sure, if
SuSE has a complete free of charge open source e-commerce software
package in its box. I doubt it. Basically customers are willing to 
pay for a good product and a good service. I just don't know how much.
:-)

So, did I extinguish the fire you set with my home-made gardenhose ? <g>

Birgitt