[Sussex] Guardian article

[Angelo Servini]

Hi fellas

<RANT>
"So far, open source has mainly continued Stallman's approach of cloning
Unix and, more recently, Windows originals. This makes it relatively easy to
unify developments among programmers who don't even know one another. But
what will happen when they run out of things to clone?"

So I suppose the current work on KDE, Gnome, Apache, Mailers galore, Open
Office - not to mention the countless other apps that are written developed
and innovated everyday by the linux community are just tit-for-tat cloning.
Lets not forget that m$ nicked the idea of Windows from Xerox in the first
place! and Excel's predecessor the late lamented 'Visicalc'.  Come on, give
us a break, the software / computing industry is littered with the bones of
predecessors which in effect were 'cloned'.

"The open source movement currently has no way of developing independent
software architectures, or even of performing simple usability testing. And
it shows."

Cor - bovine stinks!  How about the current Debian, Red Hat and SUSE
development structures that are precisely in place to do the above.  Then
what about the vast Linux user base and peer forums?  So how does it show?
Linux is a far more stable and secure environment.  Whereas the company I
work for regularly re-boot their NT4 / Win2000 servers.  The Linux servers
keep going without a squeek.

"And without a Stallman-style ideological commitment, it is hard to see why
any bright young programmer with a brilliant idea should decide not to
become a billionaire and give it all away. Logically, open source will
result in a software industry that is not just without significant profits
but without the profit motive. It will be interesting to see if it works"

Nothing to stop us generating a few shekels mate!  Get a good idea, then
market it.  A good user base who need 24/7 support will earn the
necessaries.  The point of Linux surely is to have a stable OPERATING
environment which supports both Open Source and full-on commercial stuff.

Sounds like this is good old FUD again.

</RANT>

:-)

>-----Original Message-----
>From: dominic.clay at btopenworld.com 
>[mailto:dominic.clay at btopenworld.com]
>Sent: Thursday, 08 January 2004 13:27
>To: sussex at mailman.lug.org.uk
>Subject: [Sussex] Guardian article
>
>
>I got this link from the 'Devon and Cornwall LUG'.
>Article starts well, but what about the ending!!!!
>
>http://www.guardian.co.uk/online/story/0,3605,1117835,00.html
>
>Dominic
>
>_______________________________________________
>Sussex mailing list
>Sussex at mailman.lug.org.uk
>http://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/sussex
>

The above information is confidential to the addressee and may be privileged.  Unauthorised access and use is prohibited.

Internet communications are not secure and therefore this Company does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message.

If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution or any action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it, is prohibited and may be unlawful.

Claybrook Computing Limited is a subsidiary of Claybrook Computing (Holdings) Limited
Registered Office: Abbey House. 282 Farnborough Road, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 7NJ
Registered in England and Wales No 1287205

A Hogg Robinson plc company