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L. Peter Deutsch writes:
 > That's a great dream, and it neatly addresses most of the issues I raised,
 > but I don't see how it's going to materialize.  Microsoft is generating new
 > extensions to Windows faster than any conceivable horde of libre software
 > volunteers can emulate them

Microsoft is not worried about libre software volunteers.  They're
worried about a proprietary software firm deciding to create a
Windows-compatible system.  That's WHY Microsoft constantly extends,
and then collapses its APIs.  And that's the chief public bad produced
by a proprietary OS -- increased development costs for everyone else.

 > > It will be sold in whatever other packaging Windows is sold (including
 > > preinstalled on PC's) in as many channels as we can reach.
 > 
 > How are you going to persuade PC vendors, whose contracts with Microsoft
 > already require them to pay for and install Windows 95 on every machine they
 > sell, to pay for Linux without raising their prices?  Or are you going to
 > give them Linux gratis?

Presume that existance of a version of Linux which runs all Win95
applications.  You would have much more success persuading several
large proprietary application vendors that their development and
support costs would be lower by creating native Linux versions of
their application.  Then you could get them to subsidize a free
commercial (!) version of Linux which PC vendors could install at no
charge to themselves.

-- 
-russ <nelson@crynwr.com>  http://www.crynwr.com/~nelson  | Freedom is the
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