RE: IBM beckons Linux fans to server line -- MIDRANGE-NONTECH

Martin,

Started a reply to this last night.  Got maybe a page or two started (on my
first chapter.. THANKS...!).  But after I took a dinner break, I figured out
that we aren't likely to connect on too many points, because of a mistaken
view that many people have.

<snip>

|
| > Also, IMHO this was a REAL good quote from today's NEWS Wire Daily:
| >
| > OUT OF CONTEXT: OPEN SOURCE ENTREPRENEURS
| > "Almost every person here [at a Linux 10th anniversary party at
| > Sunnyvale Baylands Park in California] is an entrepreneur. Everyone
| > who is developing software and sharing it in the hopes of that their
| > code will become well known is putting their assets -- programming
| > time and skills -- at risk. It's still an unproven business model."
| > -- Eugene Clement, MandrakeSoft developer, as quoted by Inc Magazine
| >
| >
| > Now I'm neither for nor against "Open" Source, ONCE IT'S PROVEN
| TO WORK...
|
| Open Source (open code freely shared & collaboratively developed)
| definately works - it just depends on what you want to achieve from it.

<HUGE snip>

We can discuss a lot of the good points you brought out in the huge snip.

But you and I already agree on the fundamental point:  "open code freely
shared & collaboratively developed definitely works".

I don't know if you caught the thread on "Extreme" (blech) "Programming" or
"Programming in pairs" or whatever the thread was called.  This is one form
of code freely shared & collaboratively developed.  I'm definitely ALL in
favor of the principle.

But where we will have to agree to disagree is on you're assumption that
this equates to "Open" Source.

It doesn't.


===> "Free Software" = "Open" Source <> collaborative development <>
Programming Teams.  (Although Programming Teams is MUCH CLOSER to
collaborative development than "Open" Source.. they're not equivalent.


There is NO direct and indivisible link between collaborative development
and giving all your time away for free.  They make a convincing case to that
effect, but it just ain't so...

I've seen a lot of the theory that states that you can't have collaborative
development, unless the software is given away for free.  A lot of this
stuff applies MUCH more to the academic community than the business
community.  Yet it's presumed to apply equally everywhere, in all
situations.  Thus, Linus' stated goal is "world domination".

Now I intend to research this more fully.  That's the purpose of my writing
this chapter, in the first place.  But I'm afraid the reading I've done so
far shows that this isn't a matter of my opinion vs. the opinion of RMS,
ESR, Linus, and just about everybody else in the industry...  It's a matter
of fact.


If you're interested I can send you what I have, so far, Martin off-list.
(Didn't actually finish writing a reply, and need to put a fair bit more
effort into organizing it better and researching a little more...)

I appreciate your comments, Martin, very much.. so am sorry I ended up
snipping the parts I agree with.


jt