Re: [tlug] Redhat

[Jonathan Byrne <jq@example.com>]

On Thu, Sep 11, 2003 at 03:56:55AM +0900, A. Sajjad Zaidi wrote:

>I established my Linux support company on top of an oil well about to
>explode.

Oops :-)  I don't suppose you have drilling rights? :-)

>Everyone is sick of Microsoft and the government has decided to make the
>switch to OSS. They just don't know how. Wish me luck. :-)

That sounds like a great opportunity.  When I was in Viet Nam, I found
that there is a small but highly talented Linux community, but not
very much use of either Linux or Unix by companies.  The high price of
*nix workstations effectively keeps them out of the market (I never
saw a single Sun box in eight months, or even heard about one), while
the low price (a dollar or two at any bootleg CD shop) of MS products makes
Linux a hard sell.  If somebody can get Windows 2000 Server and Exchange
2000 for less than five dollars, it's a lot harder to demonstrate the
value proposition of Linux, especially when there are so few people
experienced in it.  Finding qualified staff to do a Windows to Linux
migration in Viet Nam could be pretty hard.  I know one guy who is a
Linux consultant in HCMC, and apart from the scarce Linux work, he has to
take on pretty much any work (most involving Windows) just to get by.

If Microsoft would start enforcing licensing there (please, please, please!)
it would really jumpstart the Linux market in Viet Nam.  Microsoft does
have a market presence there and does sell legit copies in some quarters
(large companies and maybe to some government agencies), so they are fully
aware of the piracy situation and seem to be turning a blind eye to it
because they know perfectly well that enforcing licensing would drive
individuals and companies to Linux in a big way.

Jonathan
-- 
gpg --keyserver pgp.mit.edu --recv-keys ACC46EF9

Attachment: pgp00046.pgp
Description: PGP signature