Baudouin, Andrew wrote:
>Yes. Linux was created on Linus's spare time. If it weren't for the PAID
>contributions of SuSE, IBM, Novell, and Redhat Linux wouldn't be anywhere
>near where it is today. Joe I.T. guy in Podunk,USA (or Andrew Baudouin in
>Baton Rouge, LA) with a wife and kids has no time to go home from his VB.Net
>job and start hacking away on Linux.
>
>
>
In this regard, I would have to disagree with you. Linux was began
as a hobby project, and once it had gained momentum, it was continued
out of sheer love for the concept. Thousands of people from around the
world thought so; they joined in, and helped him.
Linux wouldn't be anywhere if it weren't for guys like Alan Cox,
all-day all-night coding machines, who would still be coding even if
they weren't making a living coding. Or Eric S. Raymond, who simply saw
something that needed doing, and did it. And these are just the big
names I can think of off the top of my head.
I can easily say that 95% of what I use in Linux today, was created
out of someone's generosity, and that they weren't getting paid to do
it. And the same goes for the code that I've given to the Linux
community. As well as bug reports, technical support, and just plain
opinions.
3% are what might have come from Redhat or SuSe (or even Novell or
IBM); but, I can't really count that, because they were just leveraging
work that had been done before them. That's the beauty of Open Source.
The other 2% are the begrudgingly-given hardware drivers, vendor
support that each and every Windows user gets for free; in fact, they
demand it.
Linux has always been a community-driven project; not a commercial
one. As a note, IBM and Novell has not done very much in regard to
Linux development; they have simply been late adopters, and haven't made
themselves into obstacles. I'll give them credit for not trying to get
into the way.
However, mindsets like yours -are- obstacles; that money can replace
hard work, drive, determination, and principles, and that the only way
that Linux is going to be successful is when it is selling in stores,
and you have to fork over the cash just to use it. And that is so
terribly wrong it makes my head hurt.
>I had a short-term open source job once locally, and it paid a measly $8.00
>per hour. Can you buy a house and support a family on that? I applied for a
>Linux networking admin job once locally, never even got an interview. I
>also saw a PHP job in the paper advertised for $8 an hour. Those THREE JOBS
>are the only ones even remotely related to open-source technologies that I
>have seen advertised in the Baton Rouge paper (disclaimer, only was looking
>between 8/2001 and 8/2003, have been employed since then)
>
>
>
I think you are looking at it the wrong way. Open source is a
by-product of other programming pursuits. Most of the really hardcore
code that Linux uses today, was the result of someone else's research.
Secondly, Baton Rouge isn't exactly where I would want to have a
programming job -and- raise a family. Sure, some can do it, but by the
same stroke, MOST have left Baton Rouge. Believe me, I know quite a few
programmers and they all left Baton Rouge. As I will, as soon as I have
completed my degree.
>Companies don't usually pay for custom software to be created and then allow
>it to be released into the public domain.
>
>
>
Tell that to John Carmack. Or a dozen other developers who have
done the same thing.
But public domain is different from open source/GPL, although there
is no distinction to be drawn for the purposes of this discussion.
>In my experience, people are deathly afraid of computers and have no idea
>what to do when problem X occurs with their favorite software program (that
>has nothing to do with Windows' bugs, spyware or instability).
>
I have made a career, for many years, out of this simple fact.
But, I can also say that /most/ Windows programmers have very little
idea of how their operating system works, or what makes their hardware
tick. Not to throw stones at you, because you seem to somewhat more
informed, but /most/ of the Visual Basic / MFC / .NET crowd are doing
cookie-cutter programming, and simply have no understanding of
system-level mechanics.
>They have no interest in learning how to fix it, they just want it fixed ASAP.
>
I hope they never develop an interest in learning how to fix it.
That keeps me employed.
And when they want it fixed "ASAP", I get to charge double. :)
> Any technical explanation you might give goes in one ear and out the other.
>They don't want to learn, they just want it fixed! They are not going to
>switch to Linux because of some elitist's free software ideal.
>
>
I think it's not fair to assume that everyone else possesses the
same passion for computers that you do.
But as for your second statement;
"They are not going to switch to Linux because of some elitist's free
software ideal..."
I find that statement completely, and totally repugnant. I am going
to cut it short right here, because the only thing that can fly from my
fingers is a healthy dose of anger. I will say that, for the record, I
have "converted" a few dozen people at LSU to switch to Linux because of
"some elitist's free software ideal", and for no other reason than they
believed in free software.
My gut tells me to ask you; WHY are you using Linux? I would love
to hear your arguments, and when you do, BRING PROOF.
David Jackson
