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The Open Source Saga 1.0
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13-Jan-2009
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It's not really anything new, but it is definitely gaining momentum; that of course would be Open Source software. Despite having heard of it, most people haven't really heard about it. As is true with anything, if you get yourself into something you don't really understand, you can find yourself in a whole new world of trouble; if this new something happens to be what your entire operation runs on, and fails you miserably in ways you could never even begin to anticipate, well, that is the price of ignorance. Take notes:
A Little History
Perhaps the most common association with Open Source software is Linux. That would be the file loader that bears the name of its' initiator, Linus Torvalds. Yes, my wording there was very purposefully chosen; similar to the phrasing that the “Open Source Community” tends to apply to Microsoft and Bill Gates, so, simply doing my part for parity (although, none of my computers run on Gatesoft XP, only Windows XP...). Truth be told, this isn't really appropriate. Open Source had a whole history long before Linus morphed an x on the end of his name, and it was really initiated by an...eccentric of the name Richard Matthew Stallman (who prefers his 'handle' of RMS).
RMS is, if nothing else, a principled man that you can't help but respect. He has stood his staunchly-radical left ground so firmly that he even copyleft's his software. As well, he really started the ball rolling in terms of Open Source software. It is also worth noting that he and Linus have somewhat of an archetypal disagreement in terms of GNU/Linux (or Linux, depending on whose version you happen to believe). That, my friends, I will get more into later, as it is important.
RMS's problem was that, though he certainly got the ball rolling, he was certainly not the man to unseat, or compete with, Bill Gates. That being said, neither was Linus, but nobody has been able to unseat him from his pretender throne either. So, what happens when you have a movement with no clear leader, no clear direction, other than not Microsoft's proprietary model? Exactly what Open Source has become; just about anything.
You want to make a business application suite? No problem, you don't even have to know code. You can mix and match and pick and choose from various open source applications that are already in existence. You can even package it as your own brand, modifying it as you please; given that what you borrowed, you share in turn. What is the harm in that?
For starters, money. Yes, MONEY. Despite whatever lovely sprinkling you want to put on it, we are not a communistic society. We are not a commune, we are not a community sharing plan. We operate on monetary exchange with a common currency allowing freedom of choice in consumption and production. Sounds kind of odd to make a socio-political statement in a technological debate that is...largely against socio-politics. Well, it's germane. Microsoft has made millionaires and billionaires. Microsoft has spawned countless jobs and subsidiary industries; even to the point of the local Podunk Computer Shop, Incorporated. Microsoft's model allows capitalism to function through the IT community.
Once you remove money from the equation (and let me stop you right there; not all Open Source software is free, but in principle, it can be), you really are presented with somewhat of an economic disaster. Once the money stops flowing – who is to feed all these generous, good technozens devoting their lives to applications that people may or may not want? Who is to clothe them? For the love of God, who is to provide the means to bathe them??? That burden is collectively partitioned from amongst the rest of population. That rest of the population that includes the vast majority that don't want, use, need or even have use of their product. Is this fair? No. Is this right? No. Is this a good idea? No. RMS currently lives, without “conventional” pay – mind you, off the tuition of MIT students. And, granted, he himself is of little burden – but if we had 5 million of him...
As always, to be continued. |
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