anyone read about this?

[sal]

MEPIS distributor to implement serial number system

Technalign, the official distributor for MEPIS Linux, said it plans to implement a serial number system for the retail version that will prevent unauthorized users from downloading free updates from Technalign's repository servers.

Technalign CEO Dianne Ursini says that registered users will have access to the server in order to download regular product updates and fixes. She says the updates are free of charge as long as the user inputs a bona fide MEPIS serial number. Technalign wrote the security code that creates the serial numbers and ties them to unique Media Access Control (MAC) addresses of network adapters so users cannot share the numbers with others.

Ursini says she is putting the serial number system in place to regulate bandwidth and to keep from having to charge for updates. "Everybody's charging for updates," she says, "but no one wants to buy a $50 package and then pay for monthly updates."

If a registered user of MEPIS gets new hardware, they won't necessarily have to buy a new copy of the software. "We allow people to change computers by filling out a form online and still get the updates free," she says.

MEPIS creator Warren Woodford said that he won't be supplying Technalign with ISOs with serialization integrated until after MEPIS 3.4-3, which is in release candidate stage now, goes final. Woodford says that registered users will get the fastest and best updates for the boxed version of MEPIS. "Dianne is shipping a boxed product and making a commitment to have a specific version on store shelves and having it supported for a long time," he says. "That includes Debian repositories that are in sync with the versions she sells, so that the buyers will not have to go through what you might call 'Debian repository hell.'" Woodford and his team are in charge of creating and maintaining the special retail version repositories.

Users of the free version can still get their updates from the standard Debian pool, according to Woodford. "Whatever we do in the community is completely separate. We're more of a moving target."

http://business.newsforge.com/article.pl?sid=06/01/20/1551207&from=rss

[aysiu]

Interesting.

As long as regular users can upgrade with Debian repositories, it's fine. They're a business, and they're trying to make a profit.

It's not making me anxious to start using Mepis again, though. I like the freedom Ubuntu affords me. I get the best at no monetary cost.

[chimera]

Interesting.

As long as regular users can upgrade with Debian repositories, it's fine. They're a business, and they're trying to make a profit.

It's not making me anxious to start using Mepis again, though. I like the freedom Ubuntu affords me. I get the best at no monetary cost.


agreed.

[Bandit]

I understand the profit making standpoint, but Mepis isnt exactly a top-selling distro. This could hurt them more then it helps them. Reason I think this is most linux users belive in FREEDOM. What FREEDOM means to each person is slightly difirent. But ethicaly this could detore some of there users.
It would prob be better if they just did something more like Linspire and just make subscriptions to there best software.
IMHO,
Bandit

[Lord Illidan]

I understand the profit making standpoint, but Mepis isnt exactly a top-selling distro. This could hurt them more then it helps them. Reason I think this is most linux users belive in FREEDOM. What FREEDOM means to each person is slightly difirent. But ethicaly this could detore some of there users.
It would prob be better if they just did something more like Linspire and just make subscriptions to there best software.
IMHO,
Bandit

I agree there.. Personally, I think people will just move away from it...to SUSE for example, Linspire or Xandros. The current trend (from my viewpoint) is freeing software, not the otherwise. Brave move by Mepis, but I don't think it will be very successfull...and yes, I will remain with Ubuntu.

[sal]

i just don't like the serial numbering thing. thats why i posted it. because it to me, this sounds like microsoft windows activation/validation for updates to the system. i won't use it.

[towsonu2003]

I don't use any distro that charges for updates... I even did not try some distros because it looked like they were gonna charge for it. why should I pay for stuff while it is the distro's responsability (not my wallet's) to keep it secure and usable. even windows don't charge for updates (err.. okay they chare for it, but.... whatever, you got my point ;) )

if mepis wants profit, they should start making mepis-preinstalled out-of-the-box-working systems. they can than make users pay for the system + distro + updates at once ($100 is the fee for Windows Prof in a preinstalled laptop from hp; I would charge $20 for mepis?) and no one purchasing the system would care. I mean, you are already rich enough to buy a linux computer (see below).

but paying for updates only? nope, not my thing. I'd better use slackware and spend hours learning configuring kernel + drivers + whatever you have (the proper way to go ;) )

PS. it shouldn't be that hard to come up with a perfectly running pre-configured system. the cost will be higher, than let's say hp or dell, bc of the low demand and a hard (non-win) modem.

PS2. I don't support any decisions made for profit instead of for the user.

[Lovechild]

Well we are still entitled to the source code in accordance to the GPL, I don't see anything wrong legally with the scheme - however, I think it's a stupid decision as it will limit their market - I'm not paying 50$ for an OS I can't try beforehand.

I don't mind paying for welltested updates that I can trust for setups where I need it, my desktop isn't one of those places - in the sense that I normally run development versions on it the daily updates don't have to be, and I don't expect them to be, tested to the degree that I expect server updates akin to RHEL to be.

For a production server system I would definately go with RHEL, because of their superior support, but my desktop stays a Fedora machine.

[ardchoille]

Interesting.

As long as regular users can upgrade with Debian repositories, it's fine. They're a business, and they're trying to make a profit.

It's not making me anxious to start using Mepis again, though. I like the freedom Ubuntu affords me. I get the best at no monetary cost.
Agreed, I'll stick with Ubuntu.

[skunkarific]

I can see both sides of the story. As a Mepis reseller, I have to pay my people to support the distrubution. As a retailer, I cannot equip my computers with an operating system with no support, that simply will not sell. Anyone can download a copy of any Mepis OS on distrowatch, and use it freely. If people who did not pay for the operating system need help, I will refer them to these forums, and if I have time, I will volunteer to help them. Those are my terms. If they have paid me for the operating system, I will drop what I am doing and help them on their terms, which is immediate service, and guaranteed resolution.

I don't see the two scenarios as being unharmonious.