Re: -= PROPOSAL =- Release sarge with amd64
> * Raul Miller (moth@debian.org) wrote:
> > On Fri, Jul 16, 2004 at 11:32:22AM -0400, Stephen Frost wrote:
> > > Do you have an example of this case? I havn't heard of one yet, not
> > > even with Oracle.
On Fri, Jul 16, 2004 at 04:51:05PM -0400, Stephen Frost wrote:
> They're going to charge you huge amounts to use their 64bit version
> instead of their 32bit version? That's kind of sad, really. Makes me
> glad that Debian exists and that I'm not forced to use such software.
Their 32 bit version is mature, and they let you use it for free for
small noncommercial uses (which is how I'm using it).
Their 64 bit version is a rewrite from scratch (it's not a drop in
replacement -- for example, it'll be providing sql99 once all the sql
minutiae issues have been addressed, where the 32 bit version has sql92).
It's not a mature product, and they're only selling it to people who
really need it (as in, are willing to pay a lot of money for an advance
copy).
Remember the differences I outlined between aplus and k? Well, it
looks like the 64 bit version will be further along that same trend
(about half the size, some operations such as parsing will be at least
an order of magnitude fasater, etc.).
At some point, there will be a large body of people with 64 bit systems,
and they won't have any more customers for the 32 bit version. At that
point, I expect them to gpl the 32 bit version and start handing out
no-cost versions of the 64 bit version.
Yeah, I could wish for a business model where they offered their product
on terms I liked better. But, sad?
One thing I have to admire Arthur about: he doesn't go for bloat, and
has managed to figure out how to make a living doing the opposite.
That said, yeah, I'm extremely glad Debian exists and that I'm not forced
to use such software. But I still appreciate that that software exists.
And, I do have some uses for it (tool of thought type stuff) where I've
not found [nor written] an adequate free replacement.
--
Raul
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