[ale] VALinux IPO

[Robbie Honerkamp]

I've never been one to shy away from replying to these sorts
of things, sooo..

Thus spake Jeff Waldrop (jeff at compgen.com):

> I was not referring to your comments or your praise for 
> these people.  What I WAS referring to were elements
> in this thread that made it clear that certain people
> in the ALE organization DID have a chance to buy into
> the IPO, at the initial price (whatever it was, $30 or
> whatever).  There was another "special letter" that 
> went out to certain people in ALE (basically the ones
> who did the work for the Showcase), who were allowed
> to buy into both this IPO and the one for Red Hat.
> 
> When the Red Hat IPO happened, I was able to deal with
> it OK, but this second time is just more than I can
> stand.  

I'm not sure where you're getting your information, but nobody
from the ALE or ALS organizations recieved ANY Red Hat IPO 
shares due to their involvement with ALE or ALS. Anyone who
did got them through the standard procedures at Etrade or
by knowing someone at Red Hat very well.

> Again, I am NOT saying that these people did
> not get what they deserved; however, the less that I
> know about it the happier I am.  I use Linux at home
> and at work, I do my part to promote Linux to my
> friends and family.  It's just this notion that there
> is an elite class of Linux folks that get IPO offers
> that I don't want to think about.  Raises the blood
> pressure, gives me indigestion, and just plain doesn't
> help my day.

You're working your blood pressure up for no reason. There
is no 'elite class of Linux folks' running ALE or ALS. Those
of us who run ALS do so on a strictly volunteer basis. Many
ALS organizers spent enough time on the 1999 show to count it
as a part time job, and a few people could count it as a full
time job and then some, putting _over_ 40 hours a week (Hi, 
Chris!).  We're not an elite group. We're volunteers. Any 
person, be it an ALE member or otherwise is more than welcome
to help out with the show. Those people who help out with the
show on a regular basis (eg; they end up working year round
on the show) usually become organizers. 

In short, if you want to help with ALE or ALS we welcome your
help and assistance. You'll be part of a great team of people
who work long, hard hours putting on a show for the community.
You'll spend literally hundreds of hours working for no 
compensation. Speaking as a member of this group, I've done
it for three years and I'll continue to do it. And even if
VA hadn't decided to allow those of us who volunteer for the
community to participate in their IPO, I'd be doing the show
anyway. We don't do this for the money, folks. 

Robbie