The Traps of Linux & Open Source Software

Hi

I received a very interesting link:

The Traps of Linux...

The author argues that open source infrastructure is much more expensive in long-term calculations. I think there is something true in this position. What do you think about this...?

Lionell

well its a mavelous piece of propaganda, very emotive language and he does a good job of pretending not to be one sided.....

Um, I've had a little look through and it seems that his argument is that when linux has taken a large amount of the population, such as microsoft now does, then linux apps will become proprietary and in this way we will have to start paying for stuff. So we should not get linux because we might maybe have to start paying money out at some possible undisclosed time in the future? Rather than this, it is <span class="SuperSarcasm">obviously preferable to pay for software now</span> so we know that we will have to pay..... huh?

He makes the following assumptions that are pretty dumb:
linux users only use linux because it is free
web servers only use apache because it's free
programmers only use php & mySQL because its free

All three have also been proven to be either more secure, more efficient, or generally better than the microsoft equivalents (the main rivals). All the way through the only comparison made between the open source and proprietary software is the cost - no qualitative comparison is made.
In addition to this he seems to dismiss, at every opourtunuty, oss as a hobby for enthusiasts. I'm sure that there are people who use linux solely. I intend to be moving completely away from microsoft within the next two years.

And his discussion of the lack of ownership of the product modified under the gnu licence is ridiculous. Is it reasonable to take someone else's work (for free), modify it, and then claim your own copyright on it. I think not.

In fact he states that even custom code, written for the linux platform would automatically be available for everyone and that no licence can be placed on linux software, other than the gnu. Is that correct, because I am sure I have seen software for sale on linux. surely the gnu does not override copyright on completely custom script? Can someone fill me in on this?:?

It also seems a little xenophobic - that open-source is dangerous because it is foreign and different - it does not conform to the rest of the market and is therefore evil. How many times have we seen this in the past in so many different guises?

He's a good and emotive ritter, but I feel that his argument is one-sided and I have little time for someone who will ignore the facts on the other side. If he had weighed out both sides of the argument properly and then come to this conclusion, I would have been more inclined to listen, but as it is, it gets my official propaganda vote.

Ho hum just read some more:

Ohhh this sounds good


Well yes I do actually, but who was it that started on about religion.

Surely we could view microsoft as the currently dominant religion....
Providing us with all our saintly software solutions, how many of the common public think of the term pc as being synonymous with windows? (as in a mac as opposed to a pc?)

Then in steps the heretic linux, and as all good religions do, microsft spreads fear and doubt about the so-called beliefs of the unbelievers.

/*edit..... Uh I just got to chapter seven and he actually seems to promote my joking idea above. Apparently the microsoft monopoly is a fantastic thing for the world and rather than choking competition, leading to a stagnancy in the market, it is a great and wonderful thing that should be upheld by the masses */

Anyone notice how the arguments can be twisted either way? This book is based on little fact and an awful lot of opinon. Take this little quote for example:

And then to make a point you immediately follow up with a good reason why oss is not feasable. But he doesn't. There is so little fact in this book as to make it laughable.

Sorry but when I get on a rant there is no stopping me!

Whoa ok...I'll browse over that whole thing later.

But Geekette showed me some stats, and the reason it's more expensive is because GOOD linux tech's ARE expensive, not like those dime a dozen M$ Techies.

man that article just smacks of microsoft

lol, best piece of fiction I've read in a long time

I think this book is interesting, because it is based generally on true facts althougt the conclusions are not undeniable.

read some of it but my eyes went funny ......LOL