[clug] Why do we do what we do in Linux? [was Re: Text editor]

Bryan Kilgallin bryan at netspeed.com.au
Thu Oct 30 06:47:09 MDT 2014


Thanks, Scott:

>> The Linux kernel development project is not-for-profit.

I am familiar with the non-profit sector in Canberra.

>> That companies sponsor the
>> majority of development doesn't change that - Linux as a whole is
>> fiercely anti-commercial, but not against the idea that people should be
>> able to profit from Linux.

That seems then to be a softened ferocity!

>> Which is why companies are happy to fund it's development in order to
>> support the bits that aid their enterprise - why reinvent the wheel?

I am not familiar with this subject.

>> And
>> coders - why not get paid to do what you'd do anyway (a wage can only
>> buy so much loyalty to the employer).

At ANU Geology Department, I witnessed retired scientists pottering in 
provided offices.

>> Note that the commercial sector - e.g. RedHat and SUSE, are built on,
>> and from libre software.

I am not familiar with those distributions.

>> That people can make money from it, just as you
>> can make money from Ubuntu, doesn't change the nature of FOSS.

This seems to be some passionate manifesto.

>> As the one time director of Sun once said "I accept that I may never be
>> able to employ the best" (but he was smart enough to fund their projects).

In the mining industry, I was familiar with economic distortion and 
dinosaur mentality!

>> Reading the terms of the main licenses used in "Linux" should prove
>> enlightening.

I had thought that software licensing was legalese dismissed by "Agree"!

>> "Free" as in "free to
>> change, modify, or build commercial products from" - not just "free" as
>> in "no money required".

I do not feel sufficiently competent to attempt the former.

> All the Hackerspaces/Maker communities I'm familiar with welcome anyone.

Whereas I know of one that has formally rejected me!

>>> I hope that clarifies things a little - and may help you understand why
>>> "Linux" is very strongly a "do-ocracy" that listens to users - but is
>>> not driven by users (at least, not the main, non-commercial distros).

Unfortunately, I do not find clichés enlightening.

Best wishes.

-- 
www.netspeed.com.au/bryan/



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