Hi all,
As some people have noted they are not on the Delphi "offtopic" list, I've put this
message on the main list. Anyone not on the offtopic list and wants to pursue these
lines of discussions can email [EMAIL PROTECTED] to register.
Replies to this message should go to the offtopic list, leaving the main list for
technical topics and announcements.
Now ...
In respect to this topic of "free" software, I'm sorry to break any allusions some of
you have, but nothing is free - someone has to pay for it. Whether in Linus' case it
was the academic institution he worked for, and the taxpayers who support that
institution in his country, or any contributor to "open source" software - whoever
pays their bills, their parents, social welfare whatever. Someone has paid or will pay.
The situation is that it may not be immediately obvious who is paying, but do not be
fooled, someone will have to.
This brings up the real meaning of "free" in this context. If you look at the various
Licences in the open source community, and the discussions surrounding them, you see
that the work "free" has two meanings. One relates to $$$$, and the other relates to
the access to the technology.
If nothing else, I hope that the advances with Linux bring about an open-ness with the
technology we are dealing with in our systems, and that the industry as a whole can
contribute to the direction and decisions, that will ultimately affect us all.
Having a single company, with a religious fervour to dominate the whole software
industry, and make or significantly affect the major decisions, is not healthy.
My view is that the software industry is in a way,wrestling back control through the
advent of Linux (and some other technologies). Choice empowers users. We currently do
not have that pleasure. Let's hope that free software (as in open technology) becomes
a major force in the marketplace.
Any radio engineer will tell you that a powerful radio signal dampens the airwaves and
small stations cannot be heard. The MS influence does the same thing to the software
industry, and smaller, yet no less creative companies, tend to have their technologies
"swamped".
Back to the main topic, there should not be any problem with people selling software
to run on Linux, or the tools etc. And as developers we should not feel that there is
a problem selling our products/services in that environment in the same way we have
with MS Windows. Our customers need solutions, and will always pay for what they
perceive is of value. If we can provide useful solutions on a Linux based platform,
then we can perhaps provide a better solution, at a better price.
In the end I hope that those/us/you with the capability can then contribute back into
the industry something that you do not charge for - perhaps it is work on the Linux
kernel, or a Linux utility, or some work on an RFC committee, or helping with the user
group web site (any volunteers welcome....<g>) Whatever it is, we can all do
something, it does not have to be just Linux. The result of sharing our "free"
resource is a better more productive industry all round.
Kind Regards
Gary
>To :
>CC :
>From: Paul Heinz, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Phil wrote:
>
>> What I would like would be a job with such lack of accountability as Linus
>> obviously enjoyed for years.
>
>FYI, the core of Linux was written by Linus whilst he was a _student_ in
>Finland programming at home in his own time using a 386 he scrounged up the
>money to buy. All his own resources I'd say.
>
>TTFN,
> Paul.
>
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> New Zealand Delphi Users group - Offtopic List - [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Website: http://www.delphi.org.nz
aaaa
========================================================
Gary Benner - Software Developer [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Corporate Software New Zealand Limited Auckland - New Zealand
tel: +64-9 846-6067 (24hr) fax: +64-9 846-6152 mob: (021)-966-992
Software System Design - Consulting - Mentoring - Data Modelling
Client Server - Delphi - Interbase - Oracle - Web-based Technologies
Electronic Automation and Systems - Microcontroller Design & Software
http://www.corporate.co.nz
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