Novell's chief booster, Zonker, has already pushed it into OSNews. Zonker also pushed it into LinuxToday and he got some unpleasant responses, such as: " Great! The new OpenSuse 11.1 features an improved patent protection package! Don't miss it! Novell's website states that Microsoft recommends Suse. So, what are you waiting for? Go get it, tiger!"
There is also
this one: "That is right. Steve Ballmer clearly said that if you run any other Linux you may have to face his legal team. So, if you want Linux it is SUSE or else ..."
The
formal announcement too came from a paid Novell employee, Michael Löffler. If Novell qualifies as a community
of workers, then OpenSUSE is a community project. Even avid volunteers who are involved in this project have said to us that Novell controls it.
Interestingly enough, the press release and coverage of OpenSUSE say nothing about Microsoft. How come? Might they be embarrassed to say that Novell and Microsoft left OpenSUSE users exposed and
ripe for exploitation?
⬆
Comments
Josh Bell
2008-12-19 01:34:16
seth
2008-12-19 07:44:13
Jo Shields
2008-12-19 08:21:06
I believe that's Jono Bacon's job. (Yeah, job, they pay someone! Talk about shilling...)
AlexH
2008-12-19 09:11:56
Jo Shields
2008-12-19 09:18:40
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-19 09:20:42
AlexH
2008-12-19 09:28:56
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-19 09:34:16
AlexH
2008-12-19 09:36:03
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-19 09:38:44
AlexH
2008-12-19 09:40:06
I'm sure you know where Google is, Roy.
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-19 09:45:44
AlexH
2008-12-19 09:49:48
Again, Google is that way ->
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-19 09:51:42
Jo Shields
2008-12-19 09:52:34
"I work for Red Hat"
ZOMG SHILLING!
AlexH
2008-12-19 09:53:04
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-19 09:55:29
AlexH
2008-12-19 10:00:49
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-19 10:03:08
AlexH
2008-12-19 10:08:37
And no. Submitting a story to be posted is not "pressure".
Another false accusation with no basis....
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-19 10:13:16
Tobias
2008-12-19 10:13:51
"Democrat party pressures press into announcing Barack Obama's election victory!"
AlexH
2008-12-19 10:16:22
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-19 10:19:39
AlexH
2008-12-19 10:20:52
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-19 10:22:16
AlexH
2008-12-19 10:23:37
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-19 10:25:06
AlexH
2008-12-19 10:27:45
Don't try to pretend that you're differentiating between the two on that basis. There's no difference in the behaviour or the message, the only difference is the messenger. *Bang bang*
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-19 10:30:22
AlexH
2008-12-19 10:33:01
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-19 10:33:57
Tobias
2008-12-19 10:36:49
AlexH
2008-12-19 10:38:28
It makes no difference Roy. The site gets the story, somehow. They know who submitted it. They make the decision to run it.
The statement that Novell employees are putting "pressure" on sites to run the release announcement is pretty despicable, even for this place.
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-19 10:40:44
AlexH
2008-12-19 10:44:59
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-19 10:48:40
AlexH
2008-12-19 10:53:56
Unless you're redefining "peer pressure" to include "demand from the readership who like to hear what's going on with OpenSUSE"...
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-19 10:58:05
AlexH
2008-12-19 11:01:23
In the case of someone submitted a story to OSNews, then, what is this "subtle or gentle pressure" that we must be wary of? The editor feeling like he has to post the story because someone put so much time and effort into submitting it?!
Tobias
2008-12-19 11:01:39
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-19 11:10:39
Tobias
2008-12-19 11:23:00
No matter how you try to wriggle out of it, Wormtongue Goebbels, you are lying.
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-19 11:37:14
Tobias
2008-12-19 11:38:28
Josh Bell
2008-12-19 12:33:10
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-19 12:34:24
AlexH
2008-12-19 12:38:08
Dan O'Brian
2008-12-19 14:00:25
I think Roy needs to create a new site called BoycottRoySchestowitz.com - afterall, he's more guilty of doing the same "wrongs" he accuses others of doing.
Ian
2008-12-19 14:02:38
You do realize that you're advocating a paradox that might have the power to suck the entire internet into a black hole, right?
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-19 14:04:51
I'm not paid by companies to promote them, unlike Zonker. Big difference.
Josh Bell
2008-12-19 15:04:59
Being part of the community is a JOB!!! If you choose to volunteer your time to a distro, to the kernel, what have you, there is an expectation that you will fullfill the task that you have volunteered for.
Dictionary.com defines job as such: anything a person is expected or obliged to do; duty; responsibility: It is your job to be on time. There are many other definitions but a job does not have to be a paid job. There are many others like Jeremy Allison who work for companies and get paid to continue the work on their projects, yet they are part of the same community.
Do you get paid by the Linux mag your write for? Do you go out and promote those articles on this site and others?
Karen
2008-12-19 16:35:44
First, the community manager of a project is out *GASP* promoting his project and you find fault with that? Oh, the shame Zonker must feel at, y'know, responding to people who contact him for information about the new release, or being willing to talk about it in the press. I hope to god he can sleep at night.
But, wait! Let's not stop there. Brace yourself for some information, Roy. Did you know that a PR firm probably sent out *press releases* to journalists to inform them of the upcoming release and offering to provide more info? Let's. Fire. Them. All.
Dear god! I hope that Fedora's community managers are never caught talking to the press. Oh, wait. That already happens because, hmmm, I'm pretty sure I've seen Spevak and Frield's names pop up on release days. Okay, well, then, let's hope Jono Bacon or Mark Shuttleworth never talk to the press either. Oh, crap. Nope, they have too.
Oh, no! Come to think of it, I've seen the community managers of lots of companies, open source and otherwise, speak positively about their own company. How positively terrible!
Sigh. What's to be done about this, Roy? I mean, really?! The idea of a community manager talking about his company's product? It's a pox on the whole open source industry!
So, let's make a plan, okay? How about you cull links that point to, say, 5 - 10 other community managers, devs, and leads talking about their projects to the press. Good press, bad press, whatever. List 'em all! C'mon! Then let's compare those to the travesty that you refer to above. OMG, Roy, do something! Make it stop! I'd hate to think that someone is paid to do their job! I can't bear the thought.
narpa
2008-12-19 18:07:38
Way to go, Karen; spot-on!
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-19 21:15:35
gpant
2008-12-20 10:24:56
Zac
2008-12-21 04:05:53
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-21 21:18:16
Jo Shields
2008-12-21 21:26:15
The fact that despite a mountain of evidence pointing to you jumping at shadows, you then go back and continue with it as if you actually had some merit in your original supposition.
If you're a major distro, having someone whose "job" (paid or unpaid) it is to evangelise is not some deep dirty secret, it's NORMAL. And, as you've been told (but opted to ignore), both Canonical and Red Hat employ people who do the EXACT SAME THING for their Free distros.
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-21 21:40:23
Dan O'Brian
2008-12-21 21:42:48
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-21 21:53:44
Jo Shields
2008-12-21 22:04:21
AlexH
2008-12-21 22:04:25
Dan O'Brian
2008-12-21 22:04:47
Novell seem to be relaxing their control over openSUSE more and more, which would mean that it is becomming more and more a community project.
Let's also note that you claimed you were part of the openSUSE community before the deal - if it's not a community, as you suggest, then how were you a part of that community?
By all accounts, openSUSE is even more community driven now than it was a few years ago.
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-21 22:11:00
Yes, AFAIK. They don't seem to have a 'pusher'.
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-21 22:12:18
That's not the point. They are led and controlled by a Microsoft ally; that's the point.
AlexH
2008-12-21 22:14:22
Dan O'Brian
2008-12-21 22:15:09
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-21 22:15:57
Jo Shields
2008-12-21 22:18:56
Keep up at the back there
AlexH
2008-12-21 22:20:09
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-21 22:27:57
Jo Shields
2008-12-21 22:34:24
http://lwn.net/Articles/308176/
Money shot: "Paul Frields is the Fedora Project Leader and in the days before the Fedora 10 release he was giving telephone briefings to the media."
Let me guess, when someone non-Novell does it, it's not "prodding", it's "engaging"?
You really think that helps your credibility, Roy?
Dan O'Brian
2008-12-21 22:37:48
Roy, do yourself a favor already and admit you're wrong. You can't possibly win this argument, the facts are on the table and are all against you. You've got nothing.
What credibility?
Jo Shields
2008-12-21 22:40:03
He believes he has some, his "team" believes it too. Perhaps one day he might understand why nobody else thinks he does, and we'll be able to point to things like this
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-21 22:45:57
Jo Shields
2008-12-21 23:03:21
Dan O'Brian
2008-12-21 23:06:57
Any reasonably intelligent person would agree that you have indeed been proven wrong.
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-21 23:07:09
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-21 23:09:46
Please show me where I said such a nonsensical thing.
Jo Shields
2008-12-21 23:11:53
Because looking at it in the wider scope would give you less FUD to spread around liberally, for idiots to regurgitate on web forums as gospel truth?
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-21 23:14:45
"OpenSUSE community" is Novell. It also enjoys some free labour.
Dan O'Brian
2008-12-21 23:19:29
My my, how quickly we forget:
Jo Shields
2008-12-21 23:19:59
Dan O'Brian
2008-12-21 23:21:48
That's a contradiction. If Novell is getting "free labour" as you say, then the openSUSE community is obviously made up, at least in part, by non-Novell employees (and thus there exists a non-Novell community involved in openSUSE development).
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-21 23:22:46
As in LinuxToday, OSNews, etc.
In my eyes, press releases were never articles.. or anything anyone cares about.
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-21 23:23:28
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-21 23:24:23
An army of people assisting Microsoft's ally, sure.
Dan O'Brian
2008-12-21 23:32:24
I have no idea about OSNews, but I would suspect that an announcement of openSUSE 11.1 is just as, if not more "on topic" than iPhone OS releases and Windows SDK releases which also get published as stories there.
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-21 23:34:42
Dan O'Brian
2008-12-21 23:39:49
If you are so sure that Novell pressured OSNews into announcing openSUSE 11.1, why don't you just ask the OSNews team? Do you enjoy spreading libelous suggestions?
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-21 23:43:27
Dan O'Brian
2008-12-21 23:45:57
Dan O'Brian
2008-12-21 23:47:49
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-21 23:48:14
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-21 23:50:08
Since you have so much spare time to heckle in a site you don't like, maybe you should bother with this nonsense and post the answer here.
Dan O'Brian
2008-12-21 23:53:11
How about asking if he was pressured into publishing the story? That's the only relevant bit here anyway, since there are other editors that might have submitted the story if no one else did.
Jo Shields
2008-12-21 23:53:24
Dan O'Brian
2008-12-21 23:55:35
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-21 23:55:43
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-21 23:57:49
That's not the point at all. The point is that paid Novell staff is pushing this into sites. I can only imagine that they use the same tactics to generate Novell coverage in the news.
Dan O'Brian
2008-12-22 00:01:03
Red Hat also does this. So does Canonical. So why is it wrong that Novell does it? This is a double standard.
AlexH
2008-12-22 00:05:51
Dan O'Brian
2008-12-22 00:14:11
Roy must live in a fantasy land if he thinks that's how it works.
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-22 00:17:48
Dan O'Brian
2008-12-22 00:26:11
And why wouldn't the openSUSE community want to announce the release of openSUSE 11.1? Zonker is a community member (he's paid by Novell, but that hardly makes him not part of the community).
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-22 00:27:40
"If Novell qualifies as a community of workers, then OpenSUSE is a community project. Even avid volunteers who are involved in this project have said to us that Novell controls it."
AlexH
2008-12-22 00:27:59
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-22 00:31:02
AlexH
2008-12-22 00:32:02
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-22 00:34:26
Dan O'Brian
2008-12-22 00:35:12
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-22 00:36:58
AlexH
2008-12-22 00:37:27
The facts are that they employ release managers, community managers and press contacts, just like Novell do.
And there's nothing wrong with that.
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-22 00:40:36
Dan O'Brian
2008-12-22 00:42:14
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-22 00:43:45
--Richard Stallman
;-)
Dan O'Brian
2008-12-22 00:46:16
Jo Shields
2008-12-22 00:48:37
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-22 00:49:23
Reality distortion on one's payroll is propaganda under a softer name.
Josh Bell
2008-12-22 00:51:06
Jo Shields
2008-12-22 00:52:06
So under whose payroll do you distort reality?
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-22 00:56:37
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-22 00:57:15
Jo Shields
2008-12-22 01:04:12
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-22 01:07:49
Jo Shields
2008-12-22 01:13:47
Sigh.
The entire post is distorted, in an effort to make it appear Novell employing people who work on openSUSE (specifically in community management roles) is out of the ordinary or wrong.
People have attempted (and seemingly failed) to hammer home the point that EVERY major distro does this - and both the other commercially-backed distros have paid staffers who do EXACTLY the same thing as Novell did here.
Except in whatever passes for reality here on BN, when Red Hat does it it's fine, and when Novell does it there's "pressure" or "pushing"
If you don't understand why you're in the wrong, then you'll never understand just what it is that makes BN such a failure as a resource
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-22 01:16:41
Jo Shields
2008-12-22 01:21:29
Not quite.
By that logic, it would be improper to point and laugh at Windows for security failings if the exact same number of critical issues were found in the same month
We're at the root of the question of "double standards", which you've demonstrated you either don't understand or condone. You don't say "Alice sucks because foo" when standing next to Bob and Carol who also foo - it makes you look, well, bad.
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-22 01:23:37
Dan O'Brian
2008-12-22 01:32:58
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-22 01:40:45
Josh Bell
2008-12-22 03:24:59
The point that people are making and that we are going round and round about is that this article is written as if Novell is the only distro producer whod does this when it has been shown that others do it as well. Having a double standard of making it seem Novell is wrong when they do one thing and other distros are right when they do the same thing is dishonest. It is irrelevant as to whether this site is only about Novell or not.
Roy Schestowitz
2008-12-22 09:24:59