Re: linus.linux.sgi.com

["David S. Miller" <davem@dm.cobaltmicro.com>]

   Date: Mon, 18 Jan 1999 23:40:30 -0500
   From: Eric Kimminau <eak@detroit.sgi.com>

   As for "screwing their customers", ask Sun when they are going to
   support NT on any of their systems.

Never, whats so wrong with that?  To quote their VP of desktops "One
more Linux user is one less NT user."  I think this makes their stance
on NT pretty obvious.  Also look at their position in the M$ trial.
They have things like WABI, which runs on Sparc right now, so if you
just need the M$ applications, you can run them.

   At least SGI is making it possible to start thinking about doing
   UNIX environment kinds of tasks in the NT world rather than
   snubbing their nose at the people who have made the business
   decision to migrate to that environment.

If everyone jumps off a bridge, should we follow right after them?

I think the problem is the direction of the thinking here.  Why do we
need to bring Unix to NT, if all users want is both environments and
the applications, then bring NT to Unix since we know Unix is better
(sic) and has fewer fallacies than NT does.

   As for "no UNIX story" on the 320 or 540 hardware, all I can say is
   that there have been a lot of Linux rumors. Nothing substantiated.

And here is the point I was trying to make, rumors aren't going to get
anywhere.  SGI is taking too long to commit if they do have something
in the pipeline, everything is up in the air, and the best this does
is either:

1) Give the rumors (right or wrong) more weight than an official
   statement, until such a statement is made.
2) Put question marks above the heads of everyone else.

   HP uses Intel CPU's. Compaq now owns DEC. Who says SGI has to own
   the company that makes the CPU's we put in our systems? 

I never said that.  All I said was that it would have been wiser to
give users a one SGI platform family migration scheme, ie. have a
family of MIPS machine that ran what the next generation machine would
(even if only at such a level to assure successful ports)...  It's
like the difference between:

1) A bomb is about to drop, assume the position.

and

2) A bomb is dropping in a month, here are the tools and resources to
   build a shelter for yourselves so you are prepared.

   For being an SGI supporter, this sure sounds like Sun FUD, IMHO.

I am a supporter, but this does not mean I need to close my eyes when
I believe very bad decisions are being made.  That would make me a
sheep.  I think SGI's stalling is a mistake, so I'm going to talk
about it.

When I was an intern at SGI, I told people things like this.  I'm very
outspoken, and I'll tell people when they make mistakes, and I'll also
make suggestions about future decisions when I am listened to about
such matters.

The "everyone else's shit stinks except mine" mentality has been the
source of failure behind a few engineering teams and companies out
there.  I think SGI is doing some cool stuff, the hardware looks
impressive.  I also think Sun is doing a lot of nice stuff too.  I
choose to learn from what both of them are doing, instead of being a
blind pundit for one or the other.

Later,
David S. Miller
davem@dm.cobaltmicro.com