Gosh, that's quite a sermon from the mount... |-} >From: "GARY T BENNER" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: Multiple recipients of list delphi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [DUG]: The real meaning of "free" >Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2000 13:49:25 +1300 > >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 > >--------------------------------------------------------------------------- > New Zealand Delphi Users group - Delphi List - [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Website: http://www.delphi.org.nz >To UnSub, send email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >with body of "unsubscribe delphi" _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. 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