Re: free vs commercial; open vs proprietary is better dichotomy
On Wed, Jan 05, 2005 at 07:52:29PM -0800, ken keanon wrote:
> Hi,
> I'll reply in a one-to-many style.
>
snip...
>
> I'll continue to compare and contrast.
>
> Ken
The details of a comparison between Debian/GNU/Linux and similarly
produced software with Windows etc. is largely foolish. I call the
first class 'open' and the second 'proprietary'. Open is a puzzle
to some because they cannot understand what motivates the producers;
proprietary is abhorrent to some because they have deeply felt
views as to the place of software in human society. In the early
days of the GNU movement it was not at all clear that the movement
could ever succeed. Now there is no doubt that it will survive.
So we have two ways of doing the societal aspects of software.
Both seem to be stable. It is sort of like English and French languages
in world society. Both will survive. And also there are will be
a continuing controversy as to which will become the 'winner' of the
language wars. But that controversy is carried on by people who don't
understand the nature of human society. Both will survive, IMHO.
--
Paul E Condon
pecondon@mesanetworks.net
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