Re: [uug] Open Source vs. Closed Source software

[Stuart Jansen]

On Thu, 2005-03-24 at 17:49 -0700, Grant Robinson wrote:
> While many people have said "I don't want to 
> use software that is not free(libre)" and have hinted or outright said 
> that Apple should open-source more of their OS, I would say that there 
> is no good reason for Apple to give up one of their biggest advantages.

There's a subtle difference there. I didn't say that Apple should do
anything. I said I won't be letting them take control of my future. They
can make their software as closed as they want, I just won't be using
it. 

Sure, striving to use only F/OSS is occasionally bumpy, but it's nowhere
as bad as my experience with proprietary software. In fact, I have so
often been disappointed by unresponsive and incompetent vendors, I
emotionally consider proprietary software a form of tyranny. The
difference is it's a tyranny that can be easily escaped. Others may
choose to live in slavery, that's there business, I don't anymore.

That said, my experience is most heavily influenced by the experience of
running proprietary software on servers. I can see the attraction to
home consumers of trading a little freedom for lickable buttons. I have
a hard time understanding how companies can repeatedly hand control of
their future over to somebody else.

-- 
Stuart Jansen                   e-mail/jabber: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

"XML is like violence: if it doesn't solve your problem, you aren't
using enough of it." - Chris Maden

signature.asc
Description: This is a digitally signed message part

--------------------
BYU Unix Users Group 
http://uug.byu.edu/ 

The opinions expressed in this message are the responsibility of their
author.  They are not endorsed by BYU, the BYU CS Department or BYU-UUG. 
___________________________________________________________________
List Info: http://uug.byu.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/uug-list