WindRiver Will Not Keep Slackware

jolan writes: "Patrick Volkerding posted an announcement saying that Wind River is not planning to keep Slackware after the merger." Patrick writes there: "This isn't going to take out Slackware, though. Development continues," and goes on to say "I'm working on setting up a company so we can handle the publishing ourselves. Unfortunately, I'm broke. I can get funding to publish and ship the release to all the subscribers (and anyone else who wants it), but have no money to pay my fellow friends (which sucks) until we make some." Since Slackware has perhaps the most loyal users of any product (just happens to include Linux distributions), and with a new release upcoming, certain reports of its demise have been greatly exaggerated. Maybe we're about to enter a whole new Slackware era.

Distribution Evolution

- Linux boot / root floppy images (via ftpmail/uucp)
- SLS 1.0 (kernel 0.99.x days)
- Yggdrassil (first usable distro IMHO)
- Slackware 3.0 (ELF!!)
- Slackware 3.1
- Redhat 4.2
- Redhat 5.1
- Redhat 6.0 (They finally convinced me to look for something better)
- Debian 2.2
- Debian Unstable...The Holy Grail

-adnans

Slackware PayPal Account

Due to *lots* of user inquiries and requests, we have set up a PayPal account for the Slackware core team members. It's been set up with the email address of [e-mail]. Any donations recieved there will go straight to supporting the Slackware project - no companies are going to be taking a cut of this.

So if you're looking for a way to help us out, this is a good opportunity. Of course, buying the next release would also be helpful. But for those of you that download it or are just feeling generous, here's your chance. Thanks.

Re:Or not.

Hmm...
Did you mention a real upgrade system [slackware.com] with dependency checking [slackware.com]?

Open mouth, insert foot?

Or not.

Maybe we're about to enter a whole new Slackware era.

And maybe Slackware will slowly slide further into irrelevancy because it turns out that sophisticated packaging systems, installers, and the ability to upgrade from one release to the next are all things that people actually want.

Goodbye, karma... (flinches)
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This just shows.

Okay, I'm going to throw this out there, and I know that there will be some pretty strong opposition to it, but I ask you, just hear me out...

I believe that if any of these young, innovative, linux-based companies are to survive, one very important thing has to happen:

Linux has to go Closed-Source.

Now don't get angry, this is just the truth. We need Linus and the kernel developers to seriously take into consideration a major license shift. Of course it couldn't possibly happen overnight, but if there isn't some type of intellectual property control for Linux by the 2.6 kernel, than you can pretty much kiss it goodbye.

Now, I know there will be those of you who argue "But Linux will never go away, since it's Open Source, hobbiest can keep it alive." Well, that's true in a sense, but in the event that all the major Linux distros go under, how quickly do you think all other device manufacturers and software companies would quickly forgot that Linux even existed? Sure, Linux would probably live on, and it could live on forever, provided that the hardware these "hobbyists" have it installed on now lasts forever.

Closed-source allows us to use the world's various copyright laws to our advantage. Siddenly, instead of having to charge a fee for updates and services, Redhat and the like can just charge for Linux itself. Heck, since so many of the developers are volenteers, you're looking at a wide enough profit margin to charge much less than M$.

That's another thing, with a closed-source license, and better control of the kernel, Linux could finally defeat those arguments M$ brings about it "possibly mutating" and "not having reliable corporations behind it". Linus, being the copyright holder, could maintain a much stricter control over the kernel, and with the distro providers making money, it's a win-win situation.

I know the idea of this isn't something people want to think of. Still, the bubble has burst, and every linux company (even media-based ones, like VA Linux and OSDN) is facing bankrupcy in the near future. The previous versions of Linux could always stay GPL'd, and they would remain for the hobbyists and those who just must have free software. The Linux of the future must protect itself with the security of intelectual property law, though, or else we might as well all pack up and leave right now...

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