[ILUG] A possible use for the ILUG's money?

[John Kelly]

: On Wed, Apr 19, 2000 at 05:41:57PM +0100, John Kelly mentioned:
: > Okay, so I can't see the ILUG giving them the money to Debian
: to allow them
: > to put on a show, but this just goes to show how much Linux has
: been taking
: > out of our hands and become a commercial vehicle.  It would be nice for
: > someone to sponsor them.
:
:  I can't see it happening. Debian are saying that they should get a free
: stand because they are great. A similar thing is happening in Ireland - a
: commerical event (Windows World/e-XPO 2000) is being run, and it's also
: charging for stand space. They were nice, and decided that they wanted to
: give ILUG stand space (small, and at the back, but free).

I don't think that my (and, from what I'm reading, Debian's) problem with
this whole thing rests in the fact that Debian have to pay for it, but in
the fact that Linux Expo are claiming to have "All the majors", when one of
the biggest (albeit not commercial) is not being represented.  A quote from
their page :

"Linux Expo is the definitive forum for everyone involved in the Open Source
revolution in enterprise computing."

Debian isn't being used in enterprise computing?

:  Yes, I know it's a "Linux show", but if Debian want to go, they should
: pay for it, or not go, and let the fact that they aren't there be noticed.
: It's a trade show, not a charity.
:
:  Anyway, I thought that they were getting money from selling Debian these
: days. Isn't that what they should be spending it on ?
:
This is an almost stupid way of looking at things, for someone who has been
using linux for as long as I assume you have.  Yes, Debian makes money from
selling Debian... enough to fund their project, and further it's
development.  It does NOT make money just to go to a "trade show", just to
show others "how fancy their installers are", and "what a neat new logo they
have".  The fact is that out of all the Linux distributions out there, the
only one I would deem "enterprise-worthy" would be Debian, and they're being
excluded simply because they would rather make a better product than spend
the same money on touting their wares.

:  It's one thing to bitch if they were being refused admission. But to
: bitch because you didn't get something for free is like those people that
: that bitch to software companies, saying "Open source your software"
: because they don't want to pay for it, rather than they are pissed off not
: being able to change it. And I always feel like bitchslapping anyone that
: bitches about something I disagree with ;)

Debian aren't *bitching* about not getting in for free.  They're just not
happy about the fact that they aren't given a chance to represent
themselves.  *I'm* not bitching about Debian not getting in for free.  Like
I said in the first mail, I'm just sad for the fact that there's going to be
no stand in the exhibition representing the (non business) linux
*community*.

- John