Tech: Ernie Ball - Model For Open-Source

Subject: Tech: Ernie Ball - Model For Open-Source
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Aug 03 - 11:46 AM

August 21, 2003 - Ernie Ball - Model For Open-Source Transition? It seems Microsoft is starting a revolution:

"Ernie Ball is a company that makes guitar strings. After being raided by the BSA in 2000 without warning and fined $100,000 for a few unlicensed copies of software, CEO Sterling Ball vowed not to give another cent to Microsoft and within 6 months, according to CNET News, had the whole company switched to Red Hat Linux, OpenOffice.org, Mozilla, and other free software."

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Tech: Ernie Ball - Model For Open-Source
From: mack/misophist
Date: 24 Aug 03 - 10:17 PM

What's wrong with a link to the article?


Ernie Ball

Subject: RE: Tech: Ernie Ball - Model For Open-Source
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 24 Aug 03 - 11:13 PM

Sorry, there is none available.

Accept it...or attribute it to urban-myth.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Tech: Ernie Ball - Model For Open-Source
From: Mudlark
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 12:53 AM

Way to go, home town boy Ball! Thanks for thread, Garg, and thanks for the link Misophist. I'm not a techie but the whole story made me feel good. I like the man's attitude...

Subject: RE: Tech: Ernie Ball - Model For Open-Source
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 01:40 AM

Yeehaw! Just might have to change over to Ernie Ball strings.

In the article, Sterling Ball said, "The BSA had a program back then called "Nail Your Boss," where they encouraged disgruntled employees to report on their company...". The company I used to work for got nailed by the BSA after a tip from a disgruntled ex-employee. Every bit of the unlicensed software that was found was stuff that he (the ex-employee) had put onto what had been his machine. Fortunately, we were a small company and got by with just a warning.

Bruce

Subject: RE: Tech: Ernie Ball - Model For Open-Source
From: mooman
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 05:57 AM

Good for them!

At work I changed my organization's system over to a Linux-server based system and we have saved a lot of money too.

Peace,

moo