Re: Torvalds Blasts Microsoft's Mundie on Open Source.

["Robert G. Ferrell" <root () rgfsparc cr usgs gov>]

> Mundie declared, "It's
> important that we learn from the lessons of the past year and apply them."
> Mundie went on to note that many of the failed dot-com companies had given
> something away in hopes of making money on auxiliary products and
> services. 

I'm really tired of hearing this so-called argument.  Let's get something 
crystal clear:  the "Dot-Com" debacle was a result of investor euphoria, a 
very unhealthy herd mentality, and a slew of extremely unrealistic business 
assumptions made primarily by folks who were, at best, sophomoric in their 
knowledge and comprehension of the dynamics of an Internet-based economy.  

Open source code is what built the Internet itself; to claim that the Open 
Source Movement is doomed to failure because it "undermines the independent 
commercial software sector" is quite simply a statement born of ignorance, 
unmitigated greed, or a combination of the two.  The success of companies 
such as Microsoft is thanks in large part to the very Open Source products  
that they enjoy deriding. Most of the protocols on which proprietary software 
companies depend for any network services (LAN/WAN/Whatever), for example, 
were developed by engineers from across the industry, under the auspices of 
loose collectives such as the IETF. 

It is frequently said that "Money Talks."  Unfortunately for anyone 
listening, what Money usually says is not worth hearing. This habit of 
shameless self-aggrandizement masquerading as logic is verbal 
expectoration in its most base form. The only 'significant drawbacks' to 
Open Source code are that some people are not yet making full use of it. 

But the dawn of the IT age is only recently passed; the day is still early...

Cheers,

RGF

Robert G. Ferrell, CISSP


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