Re: Lindows Issues

[Jonas M Luster <jluster () d-fensive com>]

Quoting Rohrer, Mark E (mark.e.rohrer () lmco com):

> carried by InfoWorld Daily News on 05/28/2002:  "Executives from Oracle,
> Dell and Red Hat are scheduled next week to launch what the companies dubbed
> 'Unbreakable Linux' in an invitation they sent out to the press."

Any lie, repeated sufficienty often, posted on billboards alongside
101 and told by sufficently wealthy individuals or coprorations will
eventaully become subjective truth.

Oracle has not stopped its "Unbreakable" campaign, even _after_ they
were proven wrong in a way I'd describe as humilating, and people
still believe them. Who's to blame RedHat for jumping a bandwagon that
sure as heck will help them not only redefine "unbreakable" to
something along the lines of "... by a team of ten trained squrls" but
also has shown to effectively change the perception of the masses.

"Unbreakable" is a simple statement. In its repetitiveness it is
hypnotic, almost subliminal. The power of those campaigns can be seen
in past and current industry campaigns, and political approaches.

Now, you and I know that neither RedHat, nor Oracle is "unbreakable".
And we'd know that one even without having seen the gaping holes in
both products - we know it, because we know that there is no such
thing as "unbreakable". Oracle knows that, too. But by assuming
something that is virtually impossible, Oracle just made the move to
greater advertising - what better to claim than something no one else
would or could claim (except Microsoft).

Yet another unanswered question would be: "How long until their
clients find out they've been had?" and "What's gonna happen then?".

The answers are most likel "long until never" and "nothing". Oracle's
uber-envyed idol Microsoft shows us that there is no such thing as
losing substantial client base of uncovered lies or a generally false
advertising. They also show us that users take a lot of punishment and
still return (it's called the "Mick Foley Syndrome", read his books if
you don't get the twist :) for more.

They'll release it, a week later someone will break it, the press will
report it, and yet another week later your ${PHB} will buy site
licenses because it's unbreakable. Makes money for Oracle and Red
"Five years without a remote clue in the default maintainer" Hat.

jonas