We interrupt our normal programming

[mikebw at bilow.bilow.uu.ids.net (Mike Bilow)]

I know that I sent some of you the original "The Cathedral and the Bazaar"
article mentioned here back in October, shortly after Eric wrote it, so I
thought you might be interested in a fascinating follow-up.

-- Mike


* Forwarded (from: Netmail) by Mike Bilow using BilowMail0.2.
* Original dated: Jan 30 '98, 06:50

From: "Eric S. Raymond" <esr at snark.thyrsus.com>

(This message is cross-posted to multiple lists, be careful with replies.)

We interrupt our normal programming to inform everybody that I'm
likely to be a bit preoccupied and/or out of touch for the next week.

The 23 Jan Netscape announcement has borne unexpected fruit.  Some of
you probably know by now that Netscape is now officially crediting my
research paper ("The Cathedral and the Bazaar", available on my site)
with having been a fundamentally important factor in their decision to
release Navigator 5.0 as freeware in source.

Life continues to get more interesting.  This coming week I'm flying
to Netscape's headquarters in Silicon Valley to meet with Netscape's
top brass and technical people.  We're going to be defining Netscape's
followup -- licensing terms, development strategy, freeware community
outreach, spreading the free-software concept.

Not only that, but arrangements are being made for me to meet with
other leading Silicon Valley CEOs whose names I am not yet at liberty to
reveal.  The mission will to convince them that the freeware-centered,
open-development strategy is the only way for them to head off total
Microsoft domination.

This is the big time, people -- the Internet free-software culture's
breakout into commercial viability at a level even Wall Street can see
is happening *now*.  And I'm involved it up to my ears.  *Gulp!*
You'll have to excuse me for being a bit distracted just now.  I've
got some preparation to do...

(Uh...anybody who still doesn't grok what the fuss is about should
surf over to <http://www.linuxresources.com> and read the story "Linux
Plays Large Role In Recent Netscape Announcement".  The "read here"
link leads to a copy of my paper on their site.  Please read it there;
my regular website host has been swamped by Web traffic and you get
only one guess why...)