From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Received: from cthulhu.engr.sgi.com (cthulhu.engr.sgi.com [192.26.80.2]) by neteng.engr.sgi.com (950413.SGI.8.6.12/960327.SGI.AUTOCF) via ESMTP id AAA00177; Mon, 23 Jun 1997 00:15:36 -0700 Return-Path: Received: (from majordomo@localhost) by cthulhu.engr.sgi.com (950413.SGI.8.6.12/960327.SGI.AUTOCF) id AAA16250 for linux-list; Mon, 23 Jun 1997 00:07:56 -0700 Received: from sgiger.munich.sgi.com (sgiger.munich.sgi.com [144.253.192.2]) by cthulhu.engr.sgi.com (950413.SGI.8.6.12/960327.SGI.AUTOCF) via ESMTP id AAA16234 for ; Mon, 23 Jun 1997 00:07:40 -0700 Received: from knobi.munich.sgi.com by sgiger.munich.sgi.com via ESMTP (951211.SGI.8.6.12.PATCH1502/940406.SGI) id JAA21805; Mon, 23 Jun 1997 09:07:26 +0200 Received: from knobi (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by knobi.munich.sgi.com (950413.SGI.8.6.12/951220.SGI.AUTOCF.knobi) via SMTP id JAA00638; Mon, 23 Jun 1997 09:07:26 +0200 Message-ID: <33AE20AD.237C@munich.sgi.com> Date: Mon, 23 Jun 1997 09:07:25 +0200 From: Martin Knoblauch Organization: Silicon Graphics GmbH, Am-Hochacker 3, D-85630 Grasbrunn X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01SC-SGI (X11; I; IRIX 6.3 IP22) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: "Christopher W. Carlson" CC: linux@cthulhu.engr.sgi.com Subject: Re: Getting X on Linux/SGI References: <199706200721.AAA08929@refugee.engr.sgi.com> <9706201028.ZM3345@heaven.newport.sgi.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: owner-linux@cthulhu.engr.sgi.com Precedence: bulk Christopher W. Carlson wrote: > > > Ah! That's my point. As a company, the hardware is valued but the > software isn't. Just because we *give* software with our hardware > doesn't mean that we are a software oriented company. We are > definitely hardware oriented. > I have to agree with Chris (a rarely do :-). Past behaviour of SGI has been that of a "HW oriented Systems Vendor". Which does not mean that the SW we ship is not important (to the contrary), but revenue (and profit) come mostly from the sales of HW. Only recently we seem to have discovered that some of our SW products make us real profit. Now, should we transform ourselves into a software company? I don't think so. I would like to see us as a solutions provider (HW+base-SW+Added-Value+Support). Long way to go for us. > I've been arguing the point that software is as much of value as > hardware for years. Look at Bill Gates! He didn't make it by selling > hardware. Unfortunately, I've finally succumbed to the realization > that SGI is a hardware company first. > Of course, he did not make his wealth by giving away the software :-) > So, if one wants to make any points to upper management, it has > to be in terms of "how much hardware are we going to sell?" If > developing a really powerful *free* operating system, such as > Linux, will sell lots of boxes, you can bet upper management > will be interested. > Yes, the almighty god of the Businesscase :-) Martin -- +---------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ |Martin Knoblauch | Silicon Graphics GmbH | |Manager Technical Marketing | Am Hochacker 3 - Technopark | |Silicon Graphics Computer Systems| D-85630 Grasbrunn-Neukeferloh, FRG| |---------------------------------| Phone: (+int) 89 46108-179 or -0 | |http://reality.sgi.com/knobi | Fax: (+int) 89 46107-179 | +---------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ |e-mail: | VM: 6-333-8197 | M/S: IDE-3150 | +---------------------------------------------------------------------+