22 Jun
2003
22 Jun
'03
6:19 p.m.
On Sun, Jun 22, 2003 at 01:46:30PM -0400, Ivica Bukvic wrote:
one theme that permeates much opensource software is user empowerment.
freedom from silly obstacles like per-seat licensing or artificial
technical limits by design or stupidity. because of this, i'd much
rather work with opensource software like gcc or apache, etc than
their closed counterparts even before considering price.
but this plan does not empower the user. it penalizes the wrong people
(the users) for a marginal effect if any on the company. if it were
your goal to make free software more popular (and admittedly this
isn't my goal), it would make sense to make lots of free software
available to people on OS X and XP who may not otherwise come in
contact with it. so maybe they'll say, "hey, i got this software for
free and it's neat....i wonder what else is out there like it?"
you don't put a 'no gurls allowed' sign on your clubhouse and then
complain about how no hot chicks ever show up. (ohhh that was probably
offensive, but i think it's a fantastic metaphor ... for something).
if nothing else think of the children: just because the school system
makes a deal with apple or MS does that mean those kids don't deserve
free software or deserve to make music if their school can't afford 5
or 10 copies off logic? are they just little closed source satans in
the making waiting in dark places to monopolize your precious bodily
fluids[1]? this could actually mean a substantive even life altering
change by giving them the chance to play with your audio programs.
(and if anyone wants to start a company that gives away free audio
software and sells hardware, lesson plans, training, and support to
k-12 (and especially economically disadvantaged) schools to create
hands on music classes count me in. you would probably be eaten alive
by good press).
i will take my hyperbole and go home now.
rob
[1] dr. strangelove reference just in case you were wondering.
----
Robert Melby
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
uucp: ...!{decvax,hplabs,ncar,purdue,rutgers}!gatech!prism!gt4255a
Internet: async(a)cc.gatech.edu
LocalWords: empowerment
So basically,
you want to restrict the use of a software to a specific
type of operating system? Like M$ does?
Not a _specific_ OS. There are _many_ open-source OS's out there and
none of them have monopolistic agenda like Apple or M$. Nor do they use