On 20-Jan-02 John Woodard wrote:
I just read this on NewsForge http://www.newsforge.com/article.pl?sid=02/01/19/1848219&mode=thread and I can't see if it's good for the Open Source community and Linux or not. Looks like if it were to happen the web would be a more friendly place for the non-MS browser user, with browser dependant sites having to make themselves readable with (insert your browser of choice here). The worrying thing is that RedHat would, just as someone stated on NewsForge "just wither on the vine". It's an interseting prospect though the possibility of all those AOL cds having a distro on them now that would be a promotion and a half for Linux.
Thanks for this pointer, BJ. Interesting article (and discussion pro & con); though one wonders if it's based on more that media rumour. Linux folk may be saying "Yummie!" with their noses twitching, but is there meat behind the aroma?
Re: RedHat withering on the vine (from a comment): The thing is, AOL can create their own live CD Linux without buying anyone. There are even GPLd tools and distros for this. So there is no need to buy Red Hat to create AOL/Linux CDs. So what really is the point of AOL buying Red Hat? So, if there's substance in the buyout rumour, what _is_ the real point?
Even supposing it will happen, what impact is it likely to have?
The premiss of the article is that a massive switch to non-IE would force Web providers to come round to proper standards, allowing non-IE users better access. And this is unlikely to happen before the massive switch to non-IE occurs.