It's posts like this that make me realize that "+5" isn't enough! Great Post!

Went to the site, typed in a search, results sucked, back to google.

This is like Linux on the desktop, you'll struggle to get what you really want... when there's an alternative available that gives you what you want the first time without the struggle.

They appear to be in the "Slackware" on floppies stage, call me when they're in the "Mint" stage.

With production enterprise experience with Xen, HyperV, and VMWare hosting linux VMs.

It's still VMware, just based on some of the showstopping issues encountered with Xen and HyperV.

It's only a matter of time until VMWare competitors catch up, which is good for all of us, however based on my personal experience VMWare is still my preference.

Note, environments vary. Just based on environments I've worked with.

You are absolutely correct, and I'm sure a majority of HP employees see it your way. Unfortunately, Cxx's don't listen to the little people below. As they will explain that "you just don't understand the big picture". Big Picture is only 3 months long, quarter to quarter.

Rarely do you see a leader with guts, vision, and the ability to make intelligent decisions based on a long term strategy.

What happened to the fundamentals. Just make a damn good product, offer it at a competitive price, and offer damn good support.

"Our CIO is convinced that technical support for any product is worthless"

Has your CIO ever supported an application environment that included: Oracle RAC, DB2, Weblogic, OSB(aka ALSB), Websphere, Websphere Commerce, or heck a computer?

I would advise in creating a Risk Assessment (aka CYA Signoff) that outlines the risk HE is assuming by not purchasing support. Get his signoff on the Risk Assessment. You'll be surprised how quickly higher ups change their tune, when they realize their decisions are actually documented, and they can't just toss some lowly admin under the bus when it takes hours to recover from a production outage. When you do a Risk Assessment, schedule a meeting with the parties involved, DB Team, Networking, etc. If you can invite a Business side guy, even better.

I know it sucks! I like fast moving companies, that make solid decisions... but sometimes you have to play the game, to avoid catastrophe.

Normally, I would say this will help, in this case, whereas your CIO is against all support, it will only CYA when you have an outage during production hours, and the CIO tries to lay the blame on you.

I'm not familiar with your environment, so unless this project is a smallish LAMP wiki for internal use, I would be concerned.

I can remember finding your site looking for apps for E sometime in 98!?... time flies! From college to kids in the blink of an eye ;-)

Reminds me now just how much I miss E DR0.9 ha! ./peaCe

LOL, agreed! I suspect we would see a Federal Bailout, and continuation of the same.

But it was cute :-) Wish there was a "cute" option instead of "insightful"

Of course it will, because the same publication that brought us this gem about deferred maintenance costs, also told their readers the It's Economics Stupid.

http://www.cio.com/article/591812/Cloud_Computing_It_s_the_Economics_Stupid

"IT workers are notorious for telling management that they can make things work with a hodge podge of coathangers and toenails, not because it is the best solution, but because they can"

Take it another step further, the disasterous effects of those hodge podge implementations are typically not seen immediately, and may take a few years to eventually explode.

So those with the knowledge and experience for disagreeing with the hodge podge, are seen as, dissenters and "Not part of the team". While those workers and managers who supported the hairbrained idea move up the ladder for implementing a solutions so quickly.

Then someone else comes in and inherits the mess, those with experience that disagreed in the first place, have moved on either let go or no chance of upward mobility (don't promte those who aren't part of the "team"), and end up working somewhere else, and eventually it comes to a head and all comes crashing down. Your bought, out of business, etc.

Years in the industry has taught me, there are alot of unqualified and inexperienced people providing solutions, and even less qualified and less experienced leadership making decisions.

IT Industry, where the less you know the higher up the ladder you go.

Just a statement on how bad the opposing candidate is.

Since giving up WoW sometime ago, I have more time for reading. I enjoy reading but found I stopped nearly altogther while I was playing WoW.
Now I'm re-reading the Master/Commander series, and alot of Black Library books. I've probably read 14 books in the last few months.

Glad to ditch the mmo's (not just WoW).

real life is more fun, so is alot of fictional life :-)

I just don't think he can effectively get his message across to Corporate/IT decision makers/leaders. Nor is the average computer user able to really recieve it. What do they "benefit" from his ideals.

For example, this quote in reference to 'Software as a Service'

"You absolutely can't study it, and you absolutely can't change it, and you're even further away from having control over your computing."

Corporations, don't particularly care about studying, and the idea of not having control over their computing will sound like a good idea.

Average User, doesn't want to study, change, and how much 'control' do they really want to have.

While I tend to "mostly" agree with him, I just don't think 99% of audience particularly understands or cares. Maybe if he had a better way of explaining benefits to his ideals that would appeal to a larger audience. Unfortunately, he tends to be at the other end of the spectrum (GNU-Linux).

"When you reap rewards from a community you are obliged to help support that community"

What rewards did they reap from the state? Do they use more roads, public transportation, schools, public works than any other citizen?

They reaped the rewards of a Company, not a state. From an idea, work, and decisions that turned into a multi-billion dollar company. So unless the state was offering advice at board meetings, or volunteering development time.. not sure what they are "obliged" to do.

Take myself for example, I was a dud in high school, summer grad with 1.52gpa. Joined the Army.. while in the Army I volunteered for a year, unpaid at a Local ISP just to get experience. 12-14 hour days for a year (no pay). I got a job when I got out making $17 an hour as a Jr. Unix Admin.. dropped it all went to NYC to work for startups for 2 years during the bubble. more 12-16 hour days.. In the end I made the decision to work hard and learn whatever I could, and made many personal sacrifices to make it where I am today, financially.

While I do give FREELY to charities and tithe, what obligation do I have to the state I live in, over and above the guy who lives next door and makes half as much as I do?

Agreed that most real social activity occurs in "real life".

I do miss the days of BBS', where most social networks were local, and peeps would meetup locally. (Social network + Real Life)

Meant a bit more when the guy you wasted in LORD would be at next months gathering and you could rub it in.

Or maybe I'm just jaded at all the time I wasted creating my own RIP graphics menu's and such.

p.s.
fidonet FTW!