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Re: Has open source jumped the shark?

  • Subject: Re: Has open source jumped the shark?
  • From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 02 May 2007 14:39:31 +0100
  • Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.advocacy
  • Organization: schestowitz.com / Netscape
  • References: <463857c3$0$6888$88260bb3@free.teranews.com> <87wszrle4t.fsf@gmail.com> <46387dba$0$6303$88260bb3@free.teranews.com>
  • Reply-to: newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • User-agent: KNode/0.7.2
__/ [ Guy Fawkes ] on Wednesday 02 May 2007 13:54 \__

> 
> "Hadron Quark" <hadronquark@xxxxxxxxx> schreef in bericht
> news:87wszrle4t.fsf@xxxxxxxxxxxx
>> "Guy Fawkes" <spare_the_rod@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
>>
>>> http://jeffgould.findtechblogs.com/default.asp?item=584371
>>>
>>> "The example that brought this gloomy thought to mind was a recent IBM
>>> press
>>> release touting a "new open client solution" as an "alternative to vendor
>>> lock-in". Wow. Imagine that. An alternative to vendor lock-in.
>>>
>>> Upon examination, this press release turns out to be unintentionally
>>> hilarious."
>>>
>>> I've always proclaimed that in the end commercial Linux vendors are an
>>> oxymoron. In the end their goal will always be to maximize their profits
>>> and
>>> if they gain a foothold (read: large marketshare) they'll try the same
>>> vendor-lockin tricks as Microsoft does with Windows/Office. I've been
>>> watching Red Hat for years making proprietary changes to 'their' Linux by
>>> making incompatible shell scripts, packaging and kernel changes. I don't
>>> trust them.
>>>
>>> In the end we can only trust Debian and other totally non-commercial
>>> Linux
>>> vendors.
>>>
>>> I've also prophesized that when Microsoft is defeated, some Linux vendors
>>> (like IBM) will suddenly start changing their tune and announce a
>>> commercial
>>> desktop operating system with 'better and more advanced technology'  I'm
>>> convinced that many of these so-called Linux proponents are merely
>>> piggybacking Linux to defeat Microsoft and once that's done they'll drop
>>> Linux like a sack of sh*t.
>>>
>>> They don't hate Microsoft, they merely want to BE Microsoft.
>>
>> The most sensible think you ever posted Mr Fawkes.
> 
> I'm being realistic and of the opinion that we (the OSS communitiy) and the
> companies supporting Linux are in a mutual relationship, you rub my back
> while I rub yours. But never must we lose grip of the fact that most
> companies are only in it for the money and/or to defeat the foe they
> couldn't defeat by themselves.
> 
> I myself am a pure capitalist, I believe that there will always be some (be
> it small) role for commercial software if it fits a niche and has
> sufficient features tthat set it apart from OSS, but I do think Linux and
> Open Source will eventually have to go it alone since companies are
> entities which have no ethics, they'll betray us in a heartbeat if they
> feel they can 'own' the desktop market. Microsoft may soon be gone, but
> it's legendary profits will not be forgotten by the CEO's of IT companies.
> 
> Why am I rooting for Linux if I'm a capitalist? Because I see that normal
> market forces aren't working in the software business. There are literally
> thousands of ISV's producing software yet only one rakes in the majority of
> the profits, leaving the others with the crumbs. In my opinion the
> Operating System should forever be free and open-source so true competition
> can flourish once again so we can have true competition based on merit, not
> leverage.

You can then have leverage at a different level. The problem comes down to
the method of producing software, IMHO. There are other methods to produce
good code and get rewarded per lines of code. Clsoing (hiding) it is not the
way to go.

-- 
                ~~ Best regards

Roy S. Schestowitz      |    Warning 0x12C: ispell feels tired
http://Schestowitz.com  |  GNU is Not UNIX  |     PGP-Key: 0x74572E8E
roy      pts/0        cg001a.halls.man Wed May  2 14:12   still logged in   
      http://iuron.com - proposing a non-profit search engine

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