Rumor: AOL in talks to buy Red Hat
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It'll be interesting to watch this development. I can't quiet see why AOL would want to buy a Linux distributor. Why not just take the GPL'd source code and create their own distribution. Unless they want to buy Red Hat's developers. Having AOL CD's install linux to run AOL doesn't make sense. Surely most AOL users aren't capable of running a Linux OS and Windows in a dual boot. Heck if I'd paid $200 for my Windows XP, I wouldn't want to start using Linux to do my web stuff. AOL must have a plan for Linux to become part of their world domination scheme. I just can't see it at the moment though. Michael :-)
Michael P Butler wrote: Unless they want to buy Red Hat's developers. Sounds like about the only logical explanation. Bit of a weird way to get them though. Frankly AOL and RedHat could not be more different. RedHat has a totally different approach to business than AOL, what will happen when/if they meet? regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge Martin Marvinski wrote: Unfortunatly Deep Throat isn't my cup of tea Do you Sonork? I do! 100.9903 Stormfront
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Michael P Butler wrote: Unless they want to buy Red Hat's developers. Sounds like about the only logical explanation. Bit of a weird way to get them though. Frankly AOL and RedHat could not be more different. RedHat has a totally different approach to business than AOL, what will happen when/if they meet? regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge Martin Marvinski wrote: Unfortunatly Deep Throat isn't my cup of tea Do you Sonork? I do! 100.9903 Stormfront
Paul Watson wrote: RedHat has a totally different approach to business than AOL, what will happen when/if they meet? I suppose RedHat would have to employ lots of hologrammatic ginger women to advertise their products. Simon Nobody does chicken like MFC Sonork ID 100.10024
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Michael P Butler wrote: Unless they want to buy Red Hat's developers. Sounds like about the only logical explanation. Bit of a weird way to get them though. Frankly AOL and RedHat could not be more different. RedHat has a totally different approach to business than AOL, what will happen when/if they meet? regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge Martin Marvinski wrote: Unfortunatly Deep Throat isn't my cup of tea Do you Sonork? I do! 100.9903 Stormfront
What if AOL/Time Warner are about to get into the set-top box market? Red Hat is supposed to be the most user-friendly version of Linux. Chuck a version of Red Hat Linux on the OS with a modifed version of the AOL browser (Netscape) with easy access to AOL plus all Time Warners media content. Internet access for the masses but with built in digital rights management to prevent piracy of the content. Microsoft are rumored to be going down this road with the XBox sequels - what if AOL want to get there first. RedHat is probably the most mature version that can get them a headstart. Michael :-)
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What if AOL/Time Warner are about to get into the set-top box market? Red Hat is supposed to be the most user-friendly version of Linux. Chuck a version of Red Hat Linux on the OS with a modifed version of the AOL browser (Netscape) with easy access to AOL plus all Time Warners media content. Internet access for the masses but with built in digital rights management to prevent piracy of the content. Microsoft are rumored to be going down this road with the XBox sequels - what if AOL want to get there first. RedHat is probably the most mature version that can get them a headstart. Michael :-)
Michael P Butler wrote: What if AOL/Time Warner are about to get into the set-top box market? Very good point Michael, well thought :) I guess in that case Linux is a logical choice. BUT what is going to happen to poor old RedHat then? Somehow I don't see the RedHat developers shifting from their current "cause and way" to producing commercial tv set top boxes without a big fuss. In fact most would probably quit and start up another RedHat independantly. Michael P Butler wrote: with built in digital rights management to prevent piracy of the content I do not believe there will ever be such a thing :) The hackers will always be just a few inches behind hacking the latest anti-piracy stuff. The poor content-rights management people will be continually updating and releasing new tech. A real vicious cycle. regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge Martin Marvinski wrote: Unfortunatly Deep Throat isn't my cup of tea Do you Sonork? I do! 100.9903 Stormfront
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Michael P Butler wrote: What if AOL/Time Warner are about to get into the set-top box market? Very good point Michael, well thought :) I guess in that case Linux is a logical choice. BUT what is going to happen to poor old RedHat then? Somehow I don't see the RedHat developers shifting from their current "cause and way" to producing commercial tv set top boxes without a big fuss. In fact most would probably quit and start up another RedHat independantly. Michael P Butler wrote: with built in digital rights management to prevent piracy of the content I do not believe there will ever be such a thing :) The hackers will always be just a few inches behind hacking the latest anti-piracy stuff. The poor content-rights management people will be continually updating and releasing new tech. A real vicious cycle. regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge Martin Marvinski wrote: Unfortunatly Deep Throat isn't my cup of tea Do you Sonork? I do! 100.9903 Stormfront
Just looking at the Red Hat web-site. It looks like they have a lot of experience of embedded Linux so that set-top box is viable. They also have Linux working on quiet a few different processors. Maybe we will also see the AOL Handheld device - with a little bit of Bluetooth it could be "You have Mail" no matter where you are. AOL Instant messenging whilst on the loo or in the bath etc. Maybe they are looking into setting up a .NET web services competitor. .AOL or some such. There are a lot of possibilties if you have a lot of smart experienced developers working for you. It's an old Microsoft tactic to buy smart people and companies, maybe AOL are taking a leaf out of Bill's book. I hope AOL get Redhat because it'll mean Microsoft will work even harder to keep Windows number one - which has to be a good thing for all us Windows developers. Michael :-)
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Paul Watson wrote: RedHat has a totally different approach to business than AOL, what will happen when/if they meet? I suppose RedHat would have to employ lots of hologrammatic ginger women to advertise their products. Simon Nobody does chicken like MFC Sonork ID 100.10024
Simon Walton wrote: I suppose RedHat would have to employ lots of hologrammatic ginger women to advertise their products. There's hope for me finding a propper career yet! ;P ________________ David Wulff http://www.davidwulff.co.uk "My grandfather once told me that there are two kinds of people: those who work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group, there was less competition there" - Gandhi
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Michael P Butler wrote: Unless they want to buy Red Hat's developers. Sounds like about the only logical explanation. Bit of a weird way to get them though. Frankly AOL and RedHat could not be more different. RedHat has a totally different approach to business than AOL, what will happen when/if they meet? regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge Martin Marvinski wrote: Unfortunatly Deep Throat isn't my cup of tea Do you Sonork? I do! 100.9903 Stormfront
I think when open-source software comes into direct contact with a microsoft operating system, the user's hard drive will explode. "...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001
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Simon Walton wrote: I suppose RedHat would have to employ lots of hologrammatic ginger women to advertise their products. There's hope for me finding a propper career yet! ;P ________________ David Wulff http://www.davidwulff.co.uk "My grandfather once told me that there are two kinds of people: those who work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group, there was less competition there" - Gandhi
David Wulff wrote: Simon Walton wrote: I suppose RedHat would have to employ lots of hologrammatic ginger women to advertise their products. There's hope for me finding a propper career yet You are a ginger women who submits herself to hologram encoding? Well, well, no wonder the rest of the town avoids you... ;P regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge Martin Marvinski wrote: Unfortunatly Deep Throat isn't my cup of tea Do you Sonork? I do! 100.9903 Stormfront
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Heh, I can't really believe that AOL is trying to be like Microsoft again. Let's see, first AOL bought Netscape so that they can have a browser and access to the Netcenter portal (the way that MS has IE to lead everyone to MSN). We know how that story unfolded. Now, AOL wants to buy Red Hat so that they can provide their own OS? I could see it now. Millions of free AOL Linux disks that would ask you if you want to install Linux in order to use AOL. It'll ask you, do you wish to have Linux as your default OS? :laugh: Link Frank
A new computer with AOL/Linux could be cheaper than a computer with XP.
Todd Smith
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A new computer with AOL/Linux could be cheaper than a computer with XP.
Todd Smith
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Not when you include the cost of tech support. Tim Smith Descartes Systems Sciences, Inc.
You don't get tech support with Linux (unless you consider a bunch of linux snobs telling you to read the HOW-TO as "support"). Of course, even that kind of attention is better than paying Microsoft $95 per "incident". "...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001
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Not when you include the cost of tech support. Tim Smith Descartes Systems Sciences, Inc.
i haven't checked in a while... but windows support isn't free, is it? -c
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Just looking at the Red Hat web-site. It looks like they have a lot of experience of embedded Linux so that set-top box is viable. They also have Linux working on quiet a few different processors. Maybe we will also see the AOL Handheld device - with a little bit of Bluetooth it could be "You have Mail" no matter where you are. AOL Instant messenging whilst on the loo or in the bath etc. Maybe they are looking into setting up a .NET web services competitor. .AOL or some such. There are a lot of possibilties if you have a lot of smart experienced developers working for you. It's an old Microsoft tactic to buy smart people and companies, maybe AOL are taking a leaf out of Bill's book. I hope AOL get Redhat because it'll mean Microsoft will work even harder to keep Windows number one - which has to be a good thing for all us Windows developers. Michael :-)
Michael P Butler wrote: it'll mean Microsoft will work even harder to keep Windows number one That's why I'm in favour of alternative operating systems -- the competition will force them all to improve. "Not to mention that security in Outlook is like having Homer Simpson guard a Dunkin' Donuts factory." - Gary Rogers
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A new computer with AOL/Linux could be cheaper than a computer with XP.
Todd Smith
Yes, and a new computer with no parts (monitor, memory, hard drive, etc) would be much cheaper and just as useful to most people. Most folks buy PCs to run apps. Unless their apps run on the system they purchase, they have limited value. For varous reasons most software apps sold today will not run on Linux. Ed
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Yes, and a new computer with no parts (monitor, memory, hard drive, etc) would be much cheaper and just as useful to most people. Most folks buy PCs to run apps. Unless their apps run on the system they purchase, they have limited value. For varous reasons most software apps sold today will not run on Linux. Ed
Ed Dixon wrote: Most folks buy PCs to run apps What else are they gonna do :-D? -- Andrew.
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Ed Dixon wrote: Most folks buy PCs to run apps What else are they gonna do :-D? -- Andrew.
Servers of one sort or another is one other common use, which seems somewhat well suited to Linux machines. My guess is that a fair percentage of these machines effectively have no monitor or keyboard, and just sit in the corner and perform their server actions. Ed
