[K12OSN] needed: recommendations for Linux flavor with ongoing support

Les Mikesell les at futuresource.com
Fri Jan 5 06:25:15 UTC 2007


Terrell Prudé Jr. wrote:

> Les, if you have a problem with GPL'd software, then why are you on the 
> K12LTSP list?

I don't have a problem using GPL'd code for the things it permits
itself to do.  I'm just realistic about what what it can never do
as long as software patents and hardware vendors that can't, for
various reasons, release GPL'd driver code continue to exist.  It
doesn't make sense to ever expect legal and complete hardware and
multimedia support to be distributed along with GPL'd components
even if there are an assortment of ways you might assemble some of
those things together yourself.

Of course much of what a k12ltsp system includes (X, perl, apache, 
sendmail, etc.) are covered by licenses less restrictive than the
GPL.


> If you're convinced that you're at legal risk for using 
> GNU/Linux or any other GPL'd software such as Samba, then you're free to 
> go to Windows or Mac OS X.

As a matter of fact, I do use use Windows some at work and OSX at home.
If you can afford it, I think OS X is the best starting point because
there are no restrictions on what the vendor can include in the box
for your convenience and you can easily add any missing free software
yourself (although samba is already there...).  I'd prefer to see more
and better competition to Microsoft, though.  My main complaint about
the GPL is that by preventing distribution of all the components that
you need together it keeps any Linux distro from being competitive as
a desktop system - and has probably thus made more money for Microsoft
than any other single thing.

-- 
   Les Mikesell
    les at futuresource.com




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