On Tue, 4 Nov 2003 20:00:39 -0500 Joel Hammer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> I have come to the conclusion that my time is worth something. I am now > 57, and have only about 5 to 10 years before I get too old to bother > much with computers. So, saving time is becoming more important than > politics. I am also of the opinion, at least for now, that the open source > movement just will not be able to deliver the ease of use of commerical > software. What volunteer programmer is going to knock himself out for > hours so some lazy non-paying user can have a trouble free software > experience? Too often, open source means take it or leave it, blemishes > included. I have gotten tired of that. I tip generously at restaurants > for good service, so I can't see why I shouldn't pay someone who writes > software which saves my time. And, certainly, $30 bucks for a competent > suite like Star Office is a bargain. I feel good about supporting both > Sun and Lindows, too. I agree. Open source need not mean free. Just open. Of course, if it is open, who will pay (no thread wanted)? I would imagine the same folk who buy a Linux distro over setting one up themselves. I think both Sun and, for a while, Netscape, have a good idea. Let people have the source. Open and free. But if they want someone to package it and test it, pay a bit. I have bought for my own use for Linux: two StarOffice versions, five linux distros (versions), one spreadsheet, various windows connectivity doodads (for evolution, crossover, win4lin). It is worth the small cost to have it, for the most part, work. Especially in job-related things where, age aside, time is never something we have extra capacity. At home, I play. Gentoo. No cost. Except my time. At work, I pay cash. And fix things where I can since the source came with. -- +····························+·······························+ · Roger Oberholtzer · E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] · · OPQ Systems AB · WWW: http://www.opq.se/ · · Erik Dahlbergsgatan 41-43 · Phone: Int + 46 8 314223 · · 115 34 Stockholm · Mobile: Int + 46 733 621657 · · Sweden · Fax: Int + 46 8 302602 · +····························+·······························+ _______________________________________________ Linux-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe/Suspend/Etc -> http://smtp.linux-sxs.org/mailman/listinfo/linux-users
