Re: [fw-wiz] How to Save The World

From: Crispin Cowan (crispin_at_immunix.com)
Date: 12/13/04

  • Next message: Frank Knobbe: "Re: [fw-wiz] How to Save The World" 
    To: "Marcus J. Ranum" <mjr@ranum.com>
Date: Sun, 12 Dec 2004 17:27:26 -0800

    Marcus J. Ranum wrote:

    >Crispin Cowan drank the Kool-ade and wrote:
    >
    >
    >>The problem is that the bulk of sites that don't work are the most "corporate" ones: web casts.
    >>
    >>
    >You mean garbage like those things that let you automatically flip
    >powerpoints for a remote user to present a talk? Garbage that has
    >become popular because sales reps and marketing weenies are
    >apparently too stupid to tell their meeting attendees, "next slide,
    >please..." as they pause to collect their thoughts? Yeah, we need
    >that garbage in order to do business. Not.
    >
    >
    While that is one use for it, no that is not what I mean. If it was just
    "next slide please", then I agree that it would not be worth the bother.

    But it is much more than that. Those webcast thingies can bitscrape
    anything off the desktop screen. Thus I can demo an interactive GUI onto
    a remote customer prospect's desktop to show them what our stuff looks
    like, without them having to install anything.

    >>Most of the webconference software out there does not work with anything other than IE/Windows.
    >>
    >>
    >Then don't use it. It won't hurt you. Honestly.
    >
    When I'm buying stuff, I act like that, because it is my prerogative to
    shop elsewhere .

    But when I am selling stuff, I need to cater to the customer's desires.
    And sometimes, the customer desires to see the stuff before they will
    give me a meeting. Sometimes, I desire to show the customer stuff before
    I spend the $$$$ on a plane ticket to show them in person. This is
    actually a valuable tool, and it annoys the crap out of me that it is
    (mostly) only supported on Windows/IE.

    >>IMHO, this is by far the largest hole in the Linux desktop market that holds companies back from switching.
    >>
    >>
    >You've been drinking the Kool-ade, Crispin.
    >
    >When they say "we're not switching because Linux doesn't have XYZ"
    >that's the same bullsh*t as the "security is a performance problem"
    >song. It's just the quickest excuse they could reach for to make you
    >
    >
    Again, you're taking the wrong meaning.

    My rant is not that we should just shrug and let 'em not switch. It is
    that there is a legitimate hole in the Linux desktop space, this is it,
    and some of these webcast service providers should step up and fill the
    hole. How the hell else am I supposed to market a Linux server product
    to customers using a Windows desktop unless the webcast product works
    cross-platform? Raindance? WebEX? Are you listening? This is your market
    calling :)

    Crispin 

    -- 
Crispin Cowan, Ph.D.  http://immunix.com/~crispin/
CTO, Immunix          http://immunix.com
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