Slackware's Publisher Says Bye

[Sensei]

Thanks to jbstew32 for the heads up:

"Well, here's the briefing you've been waiting for. The company that is buying out our former publisher does not want to hire the Slackware team. This also includes _me_, BTW. This isn't going to take out Slackware, though. Development continues. The release _is_ approaching (right now I'm considering things mostly frozen other than the GTK series and insertion of whatever the newest 2.4.x kernel is right before beta), and 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."
http://www.slackware.com/forum/read.php?f=5&i=7887&t=7887

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by Sensei:
<STRONG>Thanks to jbstew32 for the heads up:
...includes _me_, BTW. .</STRONG>

uh, who is the "me"??

[KnotAcLue]

Originally posted by FoBoT-9223:
<STRONG>uh, who is the "me"??</STRONG>

Patrick J. Volkerding I believe.

[FoBoT]

oh, never mind, way over my head

i thought it meant either jbstew32 or sensei :o

[cage47]

But does this mean that a major blow has been dealt to Slack. I'm personally a Mandrake fan but I had respect for Slack as one of the longer running distros. I have some development disks with Debian 0.9 an early version of X and some other goodies from around 1995. And it had one whole cd for Slack (which was a lot of data at the time). I am genuinely sorry to see something so long-lasting take such a hit. Say it ain't so! :(

[Tigger]

Thankfully, Slackware isn't going anywhere.

Yes the _me_ refers to Patrick Volkerding but he is continuing the efforts. They are looking at setting up a secure online store for themselves where we can all buy Slack (this would be the preferred way to buy it as they will get the most benefit from the money spent on the distro).

The company that bought them out is TOTALLY against GPL'd software.

I will continue to support Slackware and will definitely buy the new distro as soon as it comes out.

I would encourage those who enjoy the stability and security of Slack to do everything in their power to scrounge up the money to buy the new version when it comes out so we can keep them going strong.

This is not a roadblock, it is just a small hurdle in the distros existence.

Slack Rules!

[rov]

If anything, might it not make Slack a stronger distro since it won't be under one company??? I guess it'll become more like Debian. I guess that's not the right thing to say about Slackware, but for development stuff I could see Slackware take on something like Debian is doing.

Yes, I am using Debian. And untils I can get apt-get or equivalent, I'm sticking with it. But, that's not to say I haven't thought of trying Slackware. I still would, I just don't have enough time...

I really hope Slackware sticks around.

[Grognard]

Not happening if they bought all the rights to Slackware, including the name, and intellectual rights. If that is the case, say bye-bye Slackware.

Is the company owned by someone named Gates?

[Tigger]

The actual Slack will will stay around as it is GPL. You can't buy something that can't be sold. The name and such, yes maybe, but I doubt they would go to the trouble.

All Patrick has to do is change the name and continue - Call it say "SuperSlack" and it is a 'new' distro based on the old Slackware one. Problem solved!

[skweegie]

not too worried on any name changes...

check out all the Name: entries
and especially the Entity Type.
http://www.marksonline.com/app/tmsearch/show_mark?SN=74713703

[rekursion]

Slackware won't be going anywhere so soon, its been around the longest and by looking at the user base, it'll be around for quite a while still. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise for slackware and things will turn out even better without Wind River.

Luckily as well, 7.2 should be released VERY soon, i'm running current and its probably more stable than all the other distros. I just hope Wind River won't cash in on it since they are on their own now. Since this release is almost completed, it should buy the slack gang some time to make some business plans to make sure that slack is well and healthy.


"The release _is_ approaching (right now I'm considering things mostly frozen other than the GTK series and insertion of whatever the newest 2.4.x kernel is right before beta)"
link:http://www.slackware.com/forum/read.php?f=5&i=7887&t=7887

[ 18 April 2001: Message edited by: rekursion ]

[Lorithar]

*gaaaaaaahhhh*

Having skimmed the posts and some of the comments on the slackware site I am quietly shocked.

However having seen corporate decision making in flight, I realize where the issue comes from.

Someone commented here that the company that bought out BSDi is against GPLed software .. I see no direct mention of that and Patrick J.'s comments don't lead me to believe that that is why this is happening. I rather suspect that the decision was made based on the loose perception by incoming management -- we pay these guys to make something that gets out there for free. Even though commercial installations typically do pay for their installations, and there is a healthy market for master cut cd's of the package. Clearly not well advised by someone.

As for the future, Patrick is setting up a paypal account to allow folks to donate cash to the devel team, and I wouldn't be surprised to find that he and others on the team are poking around trying to find a corporate entity to pick up the team.

Copyright wise I think Patrick himself owns the name..

Code wise, its all GPL anyway ... no holds there.. Especially since (skimming the code in /usr/src/linux) a heck of a lot of it that is copyrighted, is PJV's.

Here's a *power to Patrick and all* cheer, and hopes that they keep healthy and wealthy.

I for one will be paying for *my* next distro of Slackware.

[11000]

Originally posted by FoBoT-9223:
<STRONG>uh, who is the "me"??</STRONG>

Patrick Volkerding. Creator and maintainer of my beloved Slackware. The quote that Sensei started the thread with and was on the front page is from a thread that Patrick started at Slackware.com's forum. http://www.slackware.com/forum/read.php?f=5&i=7887&t=7887

Originally posted by Lorithar:
<STRONG>
I for one will be paying for *my* next distro of Slackware.</STRONG>

Hopefully, that will be the attitude of Slackers everywhere. I know I'll pay for it when 7.2 comes out. In fact, it would be seriously cool if Linux users everywhere would buy a copy, just to show the corporate world that we won't let this happen to a well-loved, long-running, and excellent distro.

[ph34r]

I'll keep using Slackware, and I'll even pay for it. But not by purchasing in a store. I'll still download for "free", but I'm signing up for paypal, giving paypal@slackware.com the $5 referral, and sending another $10 or so.

If everyone just signed up for paypal and uses the paypal@slackware.com as a referrer, thats $5 for each of us without costing us a cent.

[X_console]

There is a large pool of Slack fans. If Slack dies, there are many who would recreate the distro and make it available under a different name. Hopefully this little setback doesn't delay the release of 7.2

[r0nster]

Originally posted by Lorithar:
<STRONG> **snip**
Here's a *power to Patrick and all* cheer, and hopes that they keep healthy and wealthy.

I for one will be paying for *my* next distro of Slackware.</STRONG>
Count me in as well! I downloaded the Slack 7.1 ISO, installed it, and never regretted a single moment of it. When 7.2 gets the green light [released], I *will* pay for it.
Hats off for Patrick and the rest of the Slack crew and users.
Well, enough of the parroting but what I'm saying is that I really like this distro and it would break my heart to see it go away (which it won't anytime soon).

[MBMarduk]

Originally posted by r0nster:
<STRONG>
Count me in as well! I downloaded the Slack 7.1 ISO, installed it, and never regretted a single moment of it. When 7.2 gets the green light [released], I *will* pay for it.
Hats off for Patrick and the rest of the Slack crew and users.
</STRONG>

My experience and thoughts exactly!
Slackness, be my guide...

-Mike

[mangeli]

Originally posted by 11000:
<STRONG>Hopefully, that will be the attitude of Slackers everywhere. I know I'll pay for it when 7.2 comes out. In fact, it would be seriously cool if Linux users everywhere would buy a copy, just to show the corporate world that we won't let this happen to a well-loved, long-running, and excellent distro.</STRONG>


I'll buy an updated copy, but only because the incredible red head told me to....

[Sensei]

I don't doubt his own financial situation, but he did write quite a few books with someone at internet.com so I think he should be ok and continue slack on his own without "too much" trouble.

Don't be suprised if he writes another book now ;)

[11000]

Originally posted by Sensei:
<STRONG>I don't doubt his own financial situation, but he did write quite a few books with someone at internet.com so I think he should be ok and continue slack on his own without "too much" trouble.

Don't be suprised if he writes another book now ;)</STRONG>

Really? Pat? I guess I didn't know he'd written any books.

I really didn't think that he wouldn't continue Slackware, it's just a matter of how much time he'd be able to devote to it(if he had to get another job), and there's the problem of David, Chris and Logan wouldn't be able to work on the project full-time if they have to get other jobs. I think they are also having to consider the money required to get the CDs made and distributed, and having server bandwidth for people wanting to download. Chris basically said that if they can get enough money together to get 7.2 out, and if people buy it, then that should get them enough money to continue the project and keep everybody employed.

Getting the business started up is their biggest hurdle right now.

[ 19 April 2001: Message edited by: 11000 ]

[mindwarp.out]

... DEBIAN! .. we cannot die, because Debian is the people's distro!

Mindwarp

[11000]

Originally posted by mindwarp:
<STRONG>... DEBIAN! .. we cannot die, because Debian is the people's distro!

Mindwarp</STRONG>

:rolleyes: If you want to talk about debian, you really should go start a thread about debain, instead of interupting good Slackware threads. :p

[Sensei]

Agreed, this is a clean slackware thread.

Patrick has co-written at least 2 books with another author (K. Reichard who works for Internet.com)