[clug] Internode dumps FOSS for MS Exchange
Robert Brockway
robert at timetraveller.org
Wed Feb 17 02:01:44 MST 2010
On Wed, 17 Feb 2010, Chris Smart wrote:
> Right. So as free software users/developers, how much should we be
> integrating our stuff with proprietary systems?
I think it depends on whether someone takes the short view or the long
view (both are valid in their own way).
I do a lot of reading on a variety of subjects and have quite an
interest in history.
I've concluded that human history shows a clear migration from proprietary
or closed standards to open standards as technologies mature. At the
start of the industrial revolution the humble screw was built to
proprietary standards with each machine shop generally working to its own
standard. Without standardisation machine shops held a vendor lockin over
their clients[1]. That seems pretty odd to us today but it mirrors the
current problems with vendor lockin.
Going back further even reading and writing were originally closed
standards as knowledge of these disciplines was tightly controlled by the
ruling classes in many ancient societies.
I have no doubt that in centuries to come the idea that computing
standards would be closed or proprietary will seem quite odd to the
average person on the street.
If we look at the short view we see a different picture. While I have no
doubt that closed or proprietary standards will disappear _eventually_
they will certainly remain a big part of our industry for decades to
come.
> This is something that has been on my mind a lot lately, causing me to
> write two articles on the topic:
> "Proprietary Software and Linux: Good, Bad or Somewhere in Between?"
> http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7677
>
> "The Importance of Fitting In"
> http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7685
Hmm I'll check them out, thanks.
[1] With thanks to a professor at the University of Toronto for helping me
connect the dots on this one.
Rob
--
Email: robert at timetraveller.org
IRC: Solver
Web: http://www.practicalsysadmin.com
I tried to change the world but they had a no-return policy
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