> -----Original Message----- > From: programming-boun...@jsoftware.com [mailto:programming- > boun...@jsoftware.com] On Behalf Of Blake McBride > Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 4:23 PM > To: Programming forum > Subject: Re: [Jprogramming] Thanks for the source to J > > A bit off-topic, I think there are two different reasons open-source is > succeeding.
This discussion should probably be moved to the JChat forum, but before it disappears from my radar I'd like to add a comment (which is really a question so I may never see the answer...). > switched to the iPhone. It was very considerably more reliable. I loved it, > although I now use Android. The thing about open source, like Android, is that > Google or Linus (the big cheese of Linux), is that if there is a bug and Google > and Linus refuse to fix it, someone else will and a patch will be available. > People aren't going to wait... My understanding is that even if Android is Open source, people are not allowed to substitute the OS their phones run unless they root, thereby forfeiting warranty and all other consumer's rights. So I don't quite see how an Open Source OS for telephones not coupled with Open Hardware is a bit of a red herring... (Don Guinn's comment arrived before I could post my reply). Don't misunderstand me: I was the first person in my circle to install a Linux OS for use at home (I am talking 1994 here), and so I know how good can be from many points of view the usage of Open Source software. But the way I see it, the freedom it gives is often mitigated by an equivalent number of equally valid opposite points of view. Just think about how viral can be the GPL license. If this was a better world promoting a better business model, then GPL would probably be fine. But as things stand, GPL is an unacceptable weight. And the fact that a super genius expert in one segregated field of knowledge releases as Open Source its algorithms, doesn't mean that if the guy grows tired of that field of research there will be anyone in the world capable of taking up its work in a reasonable amount of time. Maybe somebody will rediscover its work five years later and fix the outstanding issues. In the intervening five years, though, those who relied on its work went belly up, exactly in the same way as if the program had been closed source and a company had gone out of business... Unfortunately Open Source doesn't necessarily mean "understandable" or "popular". If I rely on something that is not easy to understand but it's brilliant and hard to replace, I am making the same bet whether it's open source or not. Now, of course the Linux kernel, despite probably not being everybody's domain, is nowadays so popular that even if Linus decided to retire and go live in Himalayan cave, dozens of people could take over, possibly with less charisma, insight, sense of direction, but equal technical preparation. But I am very wary when it comes to generalise... Happy New Year! -- Stefano ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm
