Re: [tlug] Re: Why Vista Sucks (was: linux: it's becoming ubiquitous)

[Attila Kinali <attila@example.com>]

On Sat, 29 Mar 2008 04:23:40 +0900
"Stephen J. Turnbull" <stephen@example.com> wrote:

> It's not about the creators.  Even Jefferson knew that creative people
> do it because creating is what they do.  They'd die without it.  What
> is well-known but understood by almost no open source advocates
> without a PhD in economics is that IP is all about the capitalists.

Hmm.. i don't have a PhD in economics, heck, even worse, i'm
an engineer! So, could you please explain this a bit further,
so that people like me get an idea why everything we do is in vain? ;-)
 
> The only way to get VCs interested in open source development is going
> to be building a successful business around it first.  That's a lot
> harder for all concerned than going to them with a patent or a
> copyrighted program.

That i already know. OGP is basically blocked by this.
We need money to build a working business, but cannot get
anyone even lending some without a working business.
(see also "dead lock")
 
> As Mark Shuttleworth pointed out bluntly at BALUG last week, whatever
> else you say about Microsoft, there's one thing you can't take away
> from them: they made software cheap for the masses.  This is not true
> of open source, not yet, and maybe never.

What is your definition of "cheap software"? Respectively, how
do you measure the cost of software?
 
>  > I strongly disagree. It's the currently used bussines model
>  > that demands a closed and well controlled distribution system
>  > for software. If you choose a different bussines model you can
>  > still make money even if you give away the software for free
>  > if the product you sell is not the software itself.
> 
> But how about all the people who are screwed because the features they
> need are not relevant to your business model, so you won't produce
> them, and neither does anybody else?

Yes, i know i will sound like a OSS zealot, but if it doesn't
get implemented in OSS, then the interest in this particular
feature isn't big enough. If the interest would be big enough
someone would actualy do it, either because he needs it or
because someone pays him for it)

>  > Of course, under the condition that the bussines model works.
> 
> Which is an extremely strong condition.  Again, at BALUG Mark S said,
> "we don't know how to design working business models for open source
> yet."

Yes, but it's a strong condition no matter for what kind of
thing you try to make a working business model.

>  > Now, that you have to explain. What do you mean exactly by
>  > "academic AND western scientific enviroment" vs
>  > "academic AND humanities" ?
> 
> Probably that the greed of a Marxian humanities professor for the
> salary that is earned by business, law, and medical professors knows
> no bound, and he doesn't understand why it will never happen. :-)

Hm.. I think i lack some english understanding to understand that
sentence ^^'

			Attila Kinali

-- 
Praised are the Fountains of Shelieth, the silver harp of the waters,
But blest in my name forever this stream that stanched my thirst!
                         -- Deed of Morred