Re: Naming of new 2.0 release

[Dale Scheetz <dwarf@polaris.net>]

On Wed, 26 Aug 1998, Steve Lamb wrote:

> >CD vendors shunning Debian CDs as a difficult product to make a profit on
> >is not what I would call "not making a difference in the long run".
> 
>     Them buying too much of *ANY* stock is their problem.  They should order
> less.  You're translating that, incorrectly, to "order none."

When a minimum run (at a profitable price break) is 5000, and that leaves
me holding 2500, when the next release occurs, my only choice is to not
buy any. The other choice is to buy 2500, at twice the price and still
make no profit. Neither of these options makes money, so if I'm smart (at
you keep demanding) I will not distribute Debian.

If we want $1.99 Debian CDs available to the masses, we will have to give
the vendor the ability to vend.

If there is no difference in a name, then why object to the revision
number in place of the point number? They make no difference. Those with
perceptions unlike yours see a big difference, large enough to change
their decission from non-participation into participation. We can squelch
that participation by removing the stability that revision numbers give to
the marketability of the product.

Personally, I should be arguing the other way. If the "low price CD"
vendors went away, I might be selling some "expensive" gold CDs, which I
am not. I get no "kickback" from the vendor by supporting his efforts, but
our users benefit from the availability of our product. Those are the
reasons for creating a distribution in the first place. (outside the
purely selfish reasons of wanting a quality product for your own needs)

In most cases I would agree with Steve that we should not be involved in
the marketing aspects of this product, as that isn't our goal. Let others
do this for us, like the CD vendors. In this case, however, I see benefit
to users with no lying or misrepresentation, and no reduction in
information about which edition of the release is being sold/purchased.

Thanks,

Dwarf
--
_-_-_-_-_-   Author of "The Debian Linux User's Guide"  _-_-_-_-_-_-

aka   Dale Scheetz                   Phone:   1 (850) 656-9769
      Flexible Software              11000 McCrackin Road
      e-mail:  dwarf@polaris.net     Tallahassee, FL  32308

_-_-_-_-_-_- If you don't see what you want, just ask _-_-_-_-_-_-_-