Re: Debian and Redhat - are most linux users missing the point?
We need, to work on the install. Debian is so awesome. Yet, will not be
noticed by the masses unless the install method becomes better than RH.
RH's method is open sourced. So there should be a way for debian to make
it better.
I'm willing to participate in a marketing effort. Such an effort will
grow when there are entrepreneurs willing to base their tech biz efforts
on debian.
Perhaps, a 2 tier approach could ensue. 1) logo visibility effort; 2) (in
debian there are users, networkers, and developers) there are also
entrepreurs; the entrepreneurial types should begin discussions on best
support methods, custimization for particular industries, and policy.
my $0.02
NatePuri
Certified Law Student
& Debian GNU/Linux Monk
McGeorge School of Law
publisher@ompages.com
http://ompages.com
On Sat, 27 Feb 1999, Frankie wrote:
> I don't know where to post this to, but this seemed as good a place as any.
> This is not a Debian vs Redhat flame war email, so please do not treat this
> posting like that.
>
> A couple of weeks ago there was a poll, which showed that redhat hat had
> about 2 or three times as many users as debian, and that redhat was first
> with debian was second, but far closer to the other distros than to redhat.
>
> Now I may be wrong, but I believe that many (if not the majority) of linux
> users are attracted to linux because its free, and because it is symbolic of
> the backlash against the large corporation ethos of many of its competitors,
> rather than its reliability (let alone it's ease of use :-))
>
> OK, so the two leading distros are redhat and debian. debian, on the one
> hand, is run as a voluntary organisation etc, whereas redhat is (or is going
> the way of) a corporation, in the sense that it employs programmers, is very
> far ahead of any of the competition and (arguably although I think)
> sacrifices reliability over commercial factors. (eg rushing distros to get
> them out to coincide with the marketers strategy).
> I know that redhat have done a good job in promoting linux for the masses
> etc, but does redhat seem like the next MS to you?
>
> On the basis that linux is soundly based on ideology and a belief that the
> internet should remain free, debian may well be the best distribution, and
> on that basis, redhat the worst.
>
> Yet most linux users opt for redhat. This is perhaps because they don't
> really care or understand about the history of linux or the philosophy
> behind it. Essentially debian at the moment has the potential of becoming
> the linux distro for RMS wannabes and noone else.
>
> Personally, I want my distro to be the best distro, and I believe it is.
> But the vast numbers of users who prefer redhat to debian means that when
> (as will probably happen, due to their commercial nature), redhat decide to
> consolidate their position, debian will lose out.
>
> I think that debian needs to adopt a (slightly) aggressive marketing policy,
> to increase its userbase. The fact that it doesn't have professional
> marketers counts in redhat's favour.
> For example, in the last month or so, I have seen one debian logo on a
> website, about 15 redhat logos, and no logos for any other distro.
>
> This could easily be corrected, by, for example, the debian organisation
> writing to major linux sites (eg /. , freshmeat etc) and asking them to
> display a debian logo. Or, failing that, every reader of this posting with a
> website to display the debian logo when it comes out on their website. This
> would provide an amount of free advertising for debian which would help to
> raise its profile.
>
>
> </rant> cos I'm tired.
>
> frankie
>
>
>
> --
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>
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