Red Hat CEO calls for end to 'rumours and innuendo'
Published: 08 Aug 2003 10:15 BST
At a minimum, it seems it's impracticable for every potential customer to go through every line of Linux code and make sure it's free of intellectual property problems. Sounds like it would be a tall order for them to assume that burden.
That's part of our responsibility. But as it relates to indemnification, there was a time when it was about competition for technical superiority. It's somewhat disappointing that the argument has now moved and those companies with 700 PhDs on the payroll…have moved the argument to one where it's about the legal implementation of a product.
Interesting you would say that, because Microsoft was sitting here a few days ago saying they planned to argue the merits of its technology on a total-cost-of-ownership basis, our stuff versus Linux's stuff.
That's not been my experience with customers over the last three months.
You mean that's not the argument Microsoft is making?
Definitely not.
What is the argument Microsoft is making?
The argument is moving to the legal risk facing an enterprise customer deploying Linux and open-source software.
Kazaa downloads have subsided since the RIAA began threatening lawsuits. Do you think customers will similarly get weak-kneed and start looking at alternatives?
I struggle to find the relationship beyond the notion that in one case you have people consciously ripping off intellectual property and in the other, those are just unsubstantiated claims being made that are not proven. (Linux) software developers around the world are trying to consciously improve a product honestly and responsibly.
We're not talking about ripping off IP, but the parallel is you have two organisations with world-class lawyers going after people who might decide to knuckle under rather than fight.
We've put our money where our mouth is. This represents not just the development of a single product by a single company but an opportunity to explore new boundaries.
Which is more directly threatened by "Lintel" (the Linux/Intel combination)? Unix and Sun installations or Microsoft Windows installations?
On a time frame, there's no doubt in my mind the threat is to the historical Unix franchise and the proprietary chip architecture associated with it. We're rolling out Red Hat 3 in early October, and the performance we're seeing now on AMD and Intel hardware -- why someone would go out and buy a proprietary Unix operating system when that benefit can be extended to that architecture and functionality with enterprise Red Hat 3 is beyond me.
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