Subject: Re: [linux-audio-user] Re: [linux-audio-dev] RME is no more
From: Mark Knecht (markknecht_AT_gmail.com)
Date: Tue Dec 14 2004 - 19:12:32 EET
On Tue, 14 Dec 2004 01:31:01 -0500, Lee Revell <rlrevell_AT_joe-job.com> wrote:
> On Sun, 2004-12-12 at 12:03 +0100, Esben Stien wrote:
> > Frank Barknecht <fbar_AT_footils.org> writes:
> >
> > > So basically they want to protect their investment in getting
> > > knowledge of how to implement a powerful firewire interface from the
> > > eyes of other hardware manufacturers.
> >
> > A society where you put money higher than cooperating with other
> > people is not a good society, in my opinion.
> >
>
> Christ, what the fuck country do you live in? Don't you understand the
> concept of people having bills to pay? Or do you just assume the RME
> guys are independenly wealthy and just design sound cards for fun?
>
> Sheesh.
>
> Lee
Damn, was I really able to stir up such a hornet's nest with just 4 words? ;-)
Esben Stein expressed his opinion. That's totally cool. He expressed
it much more politically on the RME forum. Not sure what that means or
why he chose to do that. I thought it wise to be polite to RME. Honey
vs. vinegar.
It seems to me that many people involved in Open Source think that
business should operate financially as Open Source operates. Business
should just give things away, no matter what it cost them to develop
it and no matter what the company might be able to get for it in the
future.
Personally I think that there are probably way more shareholders in
RME than there are Linux audio people that *might* buy an RME Fireface
800. If that's true then possibly the company is doing the *more*
socially responsible thing keeping the information secret and
protecting the value of the assets owned by those shareholders. This
keeps people employed at RME, and at RME's vendors. This is socially
responsible management, in my opinion.
It seems to me that this is a tough idea for people who are so used to
getting everything for free. (Read Open Source users or folks in some
countries.) I respect RME for taking a conscious decision whether the
decision suits me or not. I want them to be around 5 years from now.
That gives me a better shot at further Linux support than having them
go out of business. To me that's both capitalistically AND socially
responsible.
Of course, that's just my opinion.
With best regards,
Mark
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