Taken advantage of

I have long held a belief that you can not get something for nothing in this world, unless it’s for Love or friendship.

Now I have to be really very clear about this argument, this isn’t going to be a rant about Linux!

To be frank I don’t actually have a problem with any technology. I believe that innovation is innovation and that is the driving force of our industry. Someone sets a benchmark, everyone else has to catch up.

But what I feel is happening is that Linux developer is having the micturition taken out of them!

Companies such as Novell, IBM and Red Hat are getting an extremely large deal of time and resource for next to nothing as all those legions of Linux enthusiasts contribute for their art. … and the ultimate insult to them is, http://www.redhat.com/apps/commerce/  ,  http://www.novell.com/products/linuxenterpriseserver/pricing.html   … their work is being sold and not for small amounts of money to cover costs … and do the rank and file Linux enthusiasts get to see any of it? No, the Linux enthusiasts is safe in the reassurance that they have done their part for the greater cause … and helped companies like Novell meet their share holder’s expectations. http://www.novell.com/company/ir/04annual/10k.pdf

Sorry if I sound cynical, but I find a principle like open source has been tainted because companies are making large amounts of profit of what essential hasn’t been entirely all their own work

So, how can we protect an individual so their work is recognised and the individual is reimbursed for their efforts? Well, is it the patent system?

Many would argue correctly that the patent system doesn’t work for software, my argument to that is, it is better to change a system from inside it rather than wholesale rejection and the clamour to write a totally new system. After-all, the framework, I believe to be sound in principle we will need to work with our authorities and political representatives so they can change the laws to cater for our needs. Democracy is a wonderful thing and it’s time the Linux enthusiasts claim what is their due.

I apologise if my final message is quite stark, but I can not see me and people like me joining (or in my case rejoining) the ranks of Linux enthusiasts until we are adequately protected as I have a family to feed and a mortgage to pay.

The overwhelming majority of Linux enthusiasts contribute zilch, nada, absolutely nothing. I don’t consider a “Windows Sucks” tattoo, flaming a developer forum or writing a computer virus or worm to attack Windows Systems as a contribution to the open source movement.  

 

If Linux is so wonderful why do we have an OSX and a Solaris 10?

 

Bell Labs and the AT&T stockholders were the ones most taken advantage of, but how about the idealistic programmers who believe in the open source Religion? The day is approaching when they will come to a fork in the road; disillusionment or selling out.

Depressing when you finally realise it, isn't it?

What's worse is when you now read the GPL you'll see that not only does it not protect people from this but that its actually designed to ensure this will continue.

"I know what you're thinking, 'cause right now I'm thinking the same thing. Actually, I've been thinking it ever since I got here: Why oh why didn't I take the BLUE pill?"

You don't *have* to use the GPL. Having said that I can imagine the outrage if you had the gall to actually charge for something on Linux they do tend to think in terms of free instead of Free.

Having said that there was quite a reasonable Public Domain culture in the 80's, is it really any different?

I see the "free" in "free software" meaning "freedom" or "free speech", not "free beer"

Software can be "free" but at the same time not "Free"... take shareware for example

Likewise, it can also be "Free" but not "free"... I don't mind paying a weee bit for access to the source code, but nothing extortionate.... say £10-£20 if its a good app that I'd use a lot and need to configure, about £15 for an extensive class library, £5 for widgets and controls, etc...

Basically I believe my Linux counter-parts are being ripped off! It's really that simple.

I don't want them to change technology, just start protecting themselves so they can get the *proper* recognition for their work. Once this starts to happen in earnest then I believe more will join them.

To be frank, bashing Microsoft is nothing more than a crude, negative marketing strategy to attract more individuals with talent to be motivated to produce good work which they effectively give away because they believe it is for the good of some worthy cause. When in reality Novell, Red Hat, IBM, Oracle … are all basically for profit organisations and have share-holders which they ultimately have to satisfy.

Microsoft bashing just makes you a pawn in a game to make Novell, Red Hat, IBM etc more money, so they can all be like Microsoft, because lets face it not one of them would say no to having Microsoft position in the market place. It sickens me to think that good people are being used in this way. So, what is the greater crime?

So my message to you is clear, protect yourself and make sure you get what is honestly due to you for you efforts.

eagle wrote:

The overwhelming majority of Linux enthusiasts contribute zilch, nada, absolutely nothing. I don’t consider a “Windows Sucks” tattoo, flaming a developer forum or writing a computer virus or worm to attack Windows Systems as a contribution to the open source movement.  

 

You, sir, are my hero.

W3bbo wrote:

I see the "free" in "free software" meaning "freedom" or "free speech", not "free beer"

The first time I saw this quote, I thought it was cute. 

Now it sounds more like a rote repetition said by people who may have forgotten when and why this was important, but continue to say it out of habit.

You can attempt to change the definition of 'free' all you wish, but the average joe linux user views it like finding "you won" on the inside of his sprite bottle cap.

Free means it doesn't cost you any money up-front and by the way, a bunch of 733T h4XXors are working on improvements for you.

ScanIAm wrote:

W3bbo wrote:I see the "free" in "free software" meaning "freedom" or "free speech", not "free beer"

You can attempt to change the definition of 'free' all you wish, but the average joe linux user views it like finding "you won" on the inside of his sprite bottle cap.

It is not changing the definition of free, it is a limitation of English that we only have one word. In French they would use libre and gratuit.

All this talk of taking advantage of Linux developers is silly, the *volunteer* to do it, if they were taken advantage of then they would stop contributing, but they do.  I get the impression most people working on the Kernel nowadays are paid to do so.

I just love the way the terms get convieniently redefined in order to deal with the cognitive dissonance of it all.

W3bbo wrote:

I see the "free" in "free software" meaning "freedom" or "free speech", not "free beer"

Software can be "free" but at the same time not "Free"... take shareware for example

Likewise, it can also be "Free" but not "free"... I don't mind paying a weee bit for access to the source code, but nothing extortionate.... say £10-£20 if its a good app that I'd use a lot and need to configure, about £15 for an extensive class library, £5 for widgets and controls, etc...

Legends arent remembered for how much money they made more on what they stood for.

Marsella wrote:

Legends arent remembered for how much money they made more on what they stood for.

Years from now they'll still talk about Bill Gates. Nobody knows the name of that guy who stood in front of that tank.

They will say the following in the future:


"Bill Gates, known for his contributions in philanthropy to 3rd world countries, was also remembered for 3 key initiatives:  The IBM deal, The first browser war and the Open Source war.

In all three, he executed flawlessly.

With the IBM deal - he sold an OS he didnt even own yet - that he then secured/bought for a pitance - keeping rights to resell himself.

With the browser wars/internet - he showed how he could turn the company on a dime - equal then surpass the current 90% share contender

and lastly - in the "war" against open source - he showed how he could cut through the zeolot reteric, lower prices, be more transparent, and move the company into a more open, giving, socially responsible MIDDLEground - there by taking most of the movements "steam" - much of it derived from anger - ensuring Windows dominance well into the new millenium and beyond."

A footnote might say " Netscape/OSS fought with "negative energy" - where as MS - as big as it was - used possitive energy.  It wasnt about Netscape/Linux sucks - as their camp so loudly proclaimed about MS - but that IE/Windows was simply superior"


...and so...we wait

beer - no joke

you are underestimating the power of the LIGHT side



will the future really be a mish mash of well intentioned "good enoughs?"

i hope not


but you ARE correct if MS screw up - (high prices / DRM / restictions / eula / etc) and dont move to middle before OSS does


ps love the pic .. man corel linux - was VERY sad to see that go.. Linux for DESIGNERS   ( cry)

Corel Linux was the first linux i saw that was designed to look good - marketing wise

back then mandrake wasnt as nice

i loaded it - after trying numerous other ones.. with the hope i could get my hands on the one and only version of coreldraw for linux

beautiful install - some cool inovations xandros is currently milking

as if adobe is planning a linux os release anytime soon

man..  that would have been nice - an open sourced designer os  (non mac!)

michael copeland was right on with that one.. too bad about his java office that made him untrusted / ousted

*Lycoris could do it..but no apps to port

Sabot,Microsoft's top 2 have more wealth than the poorest 2 billion people in the world. A person with no money can legally download and run linux, thanks to the linux developer.

Beer28 wrote:

W3bbo wrote: I see the "free" in "free software" meaning "freedom" or "free speech", not "free beer"

back in the day, I used to have to buy my linux in boxes before I joined the online download club.

woops, I pulled a jamie (jk)

I could only find this one:




8P

Marsella, feeding my kids and paying the mortgage is the point, I code to pay my bills, to pay for three square meals and roof over my kids heads. Being a fellow Scot I thought you would understand that.

I don't really give a monkeys about Bill Gates, the guy was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time and not stupid enough to miss an opportunity, so hats off to him I say. And lets be honest about the guy, he doesn't exactly keep his ready cash to himself some of the poorest people in the world benefit from the Gates Foundation vaccination program, oh and remember the Gates Foundation is one of the worlds largest charities.

And as for the poorest people in the world, they aren't interested in a operating system that are gratus they are interested in three square meals and roof over their kids heads. If Gates was to give up all his wealth in one day any finance expert will tell you that this would indeed have a destabilising effect which would cause more harm than good. Redistribution of wealth is only achieved by hands up, not hands out. Investiment in people takes along time and requires consist supply of cash, not one lump sum.

Also don't forget how Gates got rich, simple supply and demand, pile it high and sell it cheap. Lets face it, Microsofts operating systems aren't exactly out of most peoples reach price wise.

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I like the ideal of Open Source, I have no problem in using other peoples code from sites such as PlanetSourceCode or SourceForge. I have been known to contribute myself. I have even written Shareware with afew friends on Windows as well as Linux. The more eyes the fewer the bugs and all that.

I would Love to see some of the 17 Gigs of Windows source, who wouldn't.

Now the But ... I understand also if people do not want to share their source code for whatever reason they want, who am I to judge. I think that should also be their privilege and we should actually all learn to respect that.

I think it really is as simple as that.