[svlug] A little on Open Source Philosophy...

[Gies, Dennis]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Javilk [mailto:javilk at polly.mall-net.com]
>
>      MS has Zero reasons to join the open software movement, EXCEPT to
> entice us to help debug their code.
>      Open software and corporations only works where there are strong
> developed markets protected by copyright and patent law; _OR_
> where the
> users started it, and the corporations have only distribution
> channels.
> The middle ground is wasteland.
>
>      Intel wants Linux to succeed, because they don't care
> about selling
> software.  To them, Linux is the road maps that gas stations
> use to give
> away for free thirty years ago.  I remember writing to Gulf
> Oil Co, and
> getting a complete set of maps for the USA for free.  You
> could get any
> local road map at any gas station for free -- they wanted you
> to drive, so
> they helped you drive.
>
>      Microsoft is in the equivalent of the road map business.
>  They are
> selling their general road maps mostly to the oil companies,
> and ripping
> you off for the local maps, which are a larger market.
>     

OK.  So if corporations have no interest in Open Source, will they disappear
(except for those involved in the areas you specified)?  Does Open Source
have _no_ place in the current corporate framework (develop and sell
software for profit)?

> > could do was ask him how he explained the Linux movement,
> but the truth is
> > the Linux movement is strongly founded in beliefs that underlie
> > socialism...people innovate because it makes them feel
> good; its for the
> > good of the community.  Not everyone has that same devotion
> and motivation,
> > so how would open source scale to industry? 
>
>       Linux is not founded on socialism.  Not at all.  It is
> founded on
> existentialism -- the need for inner self expression, and
> also the need to
> show the world a sample of what you can do.  This is part of a strong
> tradition of Pro Bono work, such as found in the legal field.  A good
> lawyer will help this or that club or civic organization for
> free, just to
> get his name before the members, and show them a bit of his abilities.
> That is how many of them get their early clients and build a
> reputation.

Clarification:  I did not intend to suggest that Linux was founded on
socialism, and by "feel good" I meant that by developing software they
fulfill some personal need; in the open source arena this is generally the
recognition, support, and respect of their peers (and the challenge).  The
comparison to socialism stems from both philosophies counting on personal
motivation.  In the linux community this works very well, because people
love to be involved, and like you said, they like to show their peers what
they can do.  There is incentive to unselfishly further the project.  In
fact, the project has become the incentive.  Likewise, in socialist
societies people are asked to contibute to the greater good but in this case
there is little or no incentive.  People do not try to grow bigger potatoes
because they don't get anything from doing it except bigger potatoes, and
besides someone else will grow the damn potatoes so why not go watch TV?  So
the question is whether Open Source development could continue like it is,
will there be enough people who get enough satisfaction from writing great
code to create all the software that is needed?

> > The question of open source development scaling was posed
> to Linus at the SC
> > Intel Linux Users Group meeting last week.  He answered by
> saying that it
> > had very well scaled so far, and that was many orders of
> magnitude.  This is
> > very true, but its scaled only within a group of people who
> all share a
> > common desire, and its not monetary.  As we all know, the
> world is driven by
> > money, whether it should or not, so how does open source
> fit into that
> > picture? 
>
> > Suprinsingly, my manager used to be a Linux user.  Now he
> is very supportive
> > of MS, which really blows my mind.  I can't believe that
> someone who spends
> > his entire week in front of a computer can stand having a
> corporation
> > control every aspect of it.  Especially during these
> arguments, however,
> > he's always looking at it from a corporate/regular users
> view point.
>
>      I am not in favor of socialism.  I am not in favor of
> monopolies.  I
> am an entrepreneur.  If Linux was socialism, I would... well... have
> serious qualms about using it. 
>
>      Linux is about "Look at what I can do", this is what I
> need, and I
> know others need it too -- you do what you can do, I'll do
> what I can do,
> and we'll all build the barn before sundown.  Then tomorrow,
> I'll pay you
> for your help by helping you build your barn before sundown.

Well said...

dnns

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