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Use vs distributionUse vs distributionPosted Oct 5, 2006 15:47 UTC (Thu) by sepreece (subscriber, #19270)In reply to: Use vs distribution by proski Parent article: Similar in spirit?
The "use" argument is from the overloading of a common word with specific legal meaning. Most people would say "Yeah, I used Linux in our new product." even though that particular "use" also involves distribution. I don't have better language to suggest, but it's unfortunate that the confusing usage gets in the way.
"If I'm using a Nokia phone on the Cingular network, who is the user? Maybe Cingular, but not Nokia."
It's important to note that in the given example, it's typically Cingular, not Nokia, that is the distributor to the end user. The manufacturer typically does not have the ability to modify the phone in the field, the carrier does. Similarly, most DVRs are not upgraded by the manufacturer, but by the cable/satellite operator that provides them to the customer. This doesn't really alter the argument (the distributor is usually just passing through stuff that the manufacturer provided to it), but it's good to describe the situation correctly.
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