[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> If I need something done, and the choice is between using
> Open Source, free-of-charge, fix-the-bugs-yourself $TOOL1 and proprietary,
> closed source, $TOOL2 with a yearly support contract of $5000, I most
> likely suggest to boss to go for $TOOL2, because THAT IS CHEAPER. [1]
> ...
> [1] Say, it takes you a day to locate a bug, fix it, and test it. Your time
> is worth $200/h. You break even if you encounter about 3 bugs a year.
Correct, except for one 'minor' detail: It often takes a manyfold of
that time to trace strange behaviour in a binary-only application to
the point that you can call the support department and convince them
it is something _they_ have to fix.
In a lot of cases it _does_ help if you have the source, can recomplie
with some additional tracing or debugging options, to be able to find
the bug.
-- Johan
