from 2.0.33 's configuration:
-
Enhanced Real Time Clock Support (CONFIG_RTC) [N/y/?] ?
If you enable this option and create a character special file
/dev/rtc with major number 10 and minor number 135 using mknod ("man
mknod"), you will get access to the real time clock built into your
computer. Every PC has such a clock built in. It can be used to
generate signals from as low as 1Hz up to 8192Hz, and can also
be used as a 24 hour alarm. It reports status information via
the file /proc/rtc and its behaviour is set by various ioctls on
/dev/rtc. People running SMP (= multiprocessor) versions of Linux
should enable this option to read and set the RTC clock in a SMP
compatible fashion. If you think you have a use for such a device
(such as periodic data sampling), then say Y here, and go read the
file Documentation/rtc.txt for details.
-
> Does free software have "brand loyalty"? Does RedHat keep existing customers
> because they are RedHat loyal or because it's a technically superior product?
> (That was just an example, not a specific taste/preference) In other words,
> do people choose one free software product over another because it's a superior
> item, or because they have a sense of loyalty to that product?
Both reasons. `Distribution loyalty' is something that often gets in
the way of objective assessment of the product; I see this often, with
people saying this or that distribution sucks, the one I use is better.
This is often mere ignorance; really each distribution suits a certain
user preference/experience/taste. It would be foolish to venture my own
opinions here as to which was for whom; it's largely a subjective matter
and certainly cannot be assessed with any sort of uniformity.
Personally, I have built my own installation from ground zero, using a
distribution only temporarily to give me an initial build environment.
You must start somewhere.
> This just came up because I feel myself working towards devoting my life to
> free software (career wise anyhow), and asked myself the important question:
> How do you make money and support a thriving business off of free software,
> especially if you are developing it, posting it on an FTP site for download,
> and selling it on CD; why would people buy it? (This is rhetorical :)
I've often asked myself the same question. While I am by no means
qualified to offer an answer, I will say this: the software itself
doesn't have to be what makes the money. There is lots more involved in
computing; the software provides the basis for these, and having
superior software will naturally advance the cause of the whole
industry.
Later,
Scott