RPM Build Errors

[Jos Vos]

On Mon, Apr 07, 2008 at 07:50:06AM +0200, Alan DeKok wrote:

>   Then the customers can pay for that.  Since they're often paying the
> distro for LTS, they can go to the distro for help.  However, most
> distros know nothing about the packages they're supporting, so the users
> end up here.

This is a correct observation.  But note that the vendors do not really
sell detailed support for all apps, but they sell a warranty to maintain
the distro for 7 years, especially related to security fixes, while
keeping the interfaces unchanhged (with exceptions).

For all the 1000+ apps in a distro, there are mailing lists, forums,
or additional commercial support.

>   That's not what I said.  When you sell something, your customers
> should go to *you* for support.  You can afford to support them, because
> you're getting paid.  My issues with the distros && LTS is that the
> *distros* are often getting paid, and *we're* being asked to do support.

I understand your point, but this is the way it all works.  And, again,
the same happens for all other apps.  Still, vendors *do* a lot of work
to maintain their distro, backport security fixes etc.

>   The real issue, IMHO with LTS distros is people doing something *new*
> with them.  LTS is fine for a box that gets built, configured, shipped,
> and never touched again.  If someone is going to keep poking the box
> over time, and trying to get it to work with *new* configurations, than
> they have chosen LTS in error.

Not necessarily.  When they have production servers and at some point
people want to include a RADIUS server, or start using webmail, or want
to enable some other subsystem, then they are going to start using a new
feature on their (old) boxes.

-- 
--    Jos Vos <jos at xos.nl>
--    X/OS Experts in Open Systems BV   |   Phone: +31 20 6938364
--    Amsterdam, The Netherlands        |     Fax: +31 20 6948204