> > > > A "dfeedback" package would be a nice little project for someone to > > tackle, if they are comfortable with the issues. Having some statistics > > would definitely make it easier for people to make business decisions > > related to Debian products and marketing. I'm also interested in seeing > > how many people have dwww installed. :-) > > I'd be careful on the way you do this. I too wouldn't mind knowing how > many ppl use Debian but I would certainly not like emails to be sent with > details of what I have installed on my system (specially if I do not know > they are being sent and what info is being sent). > Yes! Having too much information sent, automatically or without the system administrators knowledge sounds too Microsoft-ish.
Also, not every system is going to be connected to the net. Whatever method is used for registration should allow for off-line registration as well. > An alternative would be to have a registration package that would allow > those who *wish* to register to do so easily and as securely as possible. > The process would also need to be able to distinguish between a new install and an upgrade. > Just a thought... > > Dave > So can we safely assume, since no-one has come-up with a number that the figure is not available? Are there ways that the current number can be estimated? I'd really like to be able to demonstrate to companies like IDC how significant Linux (and Debian) are to the industry. It could even have an effect on other projects - i2o comes to mind... Just how many potential customers are those companies willing to alienate by having such restrictive licenses and NDAs? (It's easy to get caught-up in MS's marketing and start thinking that they are the only game in town...maybe some cold, hard, substantiated numbers would bring them around?) The database company I mentioned in the message that started this thread didn't want anything to do with Linux until I started talking about *millions* of systems. That certainly opened their eyes! From there, they contacted Caldera and soon became quite excited about Linux. Too bad Caldera doesn't base their product on Debian...though AppGen's product is not currently packaged in a .rpm - they use dd into a shell for extraction...though that may be changing soon. Chuck -- Chuck Stickelman, Owner E-Mail: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Practical Network Design Voice: (419) 529-3841 9 Chambers Road FAX: (419) 529-3625 Mansfield, OH 44906-1302 USA -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Trouble? e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] .
