RE: [OT] Re: Troll Tech [was Re: Sco vs. IBM]

["Robert White" <rwhite@casabyte.com>]

Stephen,

So given this responsibility he has chosen to take, that you admire, and
that I have no aspirations towards because I already know it isn't an area I
will do well in...

Is it responsible for him to pose a question about the source and nature of
innovation and then reply to the feedback he receives with "you've never run
a business so why should I listen to you"?

Is it responsible to start with the assumption that business is innovation
and non business is, by definition, *not* innovation?  His position only
makes sense if this founding position ("business is the sole source of
meaningful innovation in software") is true.  He will entertain no dissent
on that position no matter how many innovators claim otherwise.

I didn't offer advice on accounting practices, sales channels, or even the
proper way to apportion funds or apportion effort.  I did not posit opinions
on managing employees nor conserving costs.  I offered my specific view
directly related to my specific experience in the field he was addressing.

I also took particular exception to receiving three emails that said
(paraphrased), in order:

1) I {Larry} glanced at what you wrote, who are you that I should care about
your opinion.

(I respond to this reasonable request with the rough overview of my
experience in software development and "innovation")

2) You've never run a business so you will forgive me if I {Larry} don't pay
any attention to anything you have said; I already know that I can only
learn things relating to business by competing against better businessmen.
(e.g. the "I play pool and..." message)

(which I totally let slide and was going to accept as an indication of a
closed and pointless channel, but then, as a reply to a third party I
get...)

3) Exactly, I {Larry} consider all arguments no matter who poses them.

(which is directly belied by message two)

The rampant cupidity of the conflict between items two and three kind of set
me off.  It is not reasonable nor rational nor, I suspect, an indication of
the kind of businessman I would want to have domain over my capital.  It
also exhausted all respect I felt towards Larry, about whom I had no prior
opinion.

And then I started behaving badly... 8-)

Rob.



-----Original Message-----
From: Stephan von Krawczynski [mailto:skraw@ithnet.com]
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2003 4:46 PM
To: Robert White
Cc: david.lang@digitalinsight.com; lm@bitmover.com; wa@almesberger.net;
miquels@cistron-office.nl; linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [OT] Re: Troll Tech [was Re: Sco vs. IBM]


On Thu, 26 Jun 2003 14:02:26 -0700
"Robert White" <rwhite@casabyte.com> wrote:

> David,
>
> Yes, fine, that is in fact why I did give Larry a brief overview of my
> experience, as the consideration of experience is valid, and I have TWENTY
> YEARS of experience in software design, development, and yes, sales.
>
> Yet because I have never tried to "run" the businesses I have participated
> in somehow that experience doesn't count in Larry's explicitly stated
world
> view.

Hello Rob,

_the_ ultimate difference between someone participating and someone
_running_
the business is (in my eyes) that the one "running" it is playing with his
own
money, his own existence (and maybe that of his family) and possibly feels a
big responsibility for his employees, the money he was possibly given by
investors or the like.
If you never made that experience you don't know what Larry is talking
about.
If you don't believe that, take all your money and loan your house and start
a
business, then experience the feeling.
You may have noticed I do not agree with Larry in many things, but anyway I
fully respect him, because he took true responsibility for running a
business,
and I know what that means. There are easier things you could do in life.

Regards,
Stephan