[ale] Opera 7.11 Linux Final is Out

[Joseph Knapka]

Synco Gibraldter <synco at xodarap.net> writes:

> all good points man -- all good.  but...
> 
> 
> On 21 May 2003, Joseph Knapka wrote:
> > I don't agree. I bet Linus doesn't agree, either.

[scissors of not-being-beat-to-death-by-netiquette-police :-]

> > On the contrary, I think it's more like, "if we didn't have Linux, we
> > wouldn't have open source." Linus released Linux with no expecation of
> > personal profit, but if he hadn't done so I gaurantee you open source
> > would not be where it is today.
> 
> if you want to think about it like that, it really makes no difference on
> the conclusion; open source IS where it is today.  it has produced
> software that is competitive with OSes that have been around for MUCH
> MUCH longer.  it has grown very swiftly.  and all its success has stemmed
> from a system through which the software is better BECAUSE it is free.  at
> what point is it okay to scrap the OSS methods and switch over to the less
> effective commercial software method of development?  if linux had been
> commercial from the start, do you honestly believe it would be as far as
> it is today?

No. I guess I should make it clear that I agree with you about almost
everything, *except* that closed-source is necessarily a bad thing.
I think that for almost any significant application domain, a closed-source
app is going to be a lower-quality beast from an equivalent open-source
app, provided the open-source app is popular enough that people use it
and submit patches.

However, Linux *also* wouldn't be where it is today without
closed-source software that runs upon it, like Oracle. Those kinds of
apps give corporate America (and presumably corporate Britain, Japan,
Bosnia, etc) a reason to try Linux. Also, it's been said that while
the open-source community is very efficient at reverse-engineering and
re-implementing existing functionality, it's not so good at
innovation, and I think there's quite a bit of truth to that. If you
have an original idea and you want to take it to market, you aren't
going to have an easy time getting startup funding if your business
plan is essentially, "We're going to write a bunch of software and
then give it away." Linux and other OSS platforms potentially give
folks a means of getting into the market with an innovative
closed-source app with a very low initial cost of development, and
that's a good thing for Linux and OSS as well as for the folks
"exploiting" it.

[scissors of brevity]

> i'm not arguing that the world feels the way i do.  it's obvious from the
> responses today that i'm in the minority on this one.  but whereas linus
> is probably motivated by the 'growth' of his OS, i love the ideals of open
> source.  i appreciate all that's been done by these programmers to get the
> platform is deep as it is currently and i want it to continue as quickly
> and successfully as it has been.  i feel like if money were involved
> throughout the whole process, it would be much different.  that's why i
> believe the introduction of money into the OSS environment is not going to
> be beneficial.

I think it already has been, but I'm glad you stick by your ideals.
And incidentally, I don't think you're a troll.

[scissors of brevity]

Cheers,

-- Joe
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