[kwlug-disc] interesting piece on the power of open source

[Raul Suarez]

--- On Tue, 12/1/09, unsolicited <unsolicited at swiz.ca> wrote:
> Desktop is the only indicator that matters.

I respectfully disagree.

> > Marketing, inertia, distribution channels and
> support.
> 
> And best buy availability.

"And"? I already said distribution channels.

> I don't think people (= home desktop users,
> corporate users call their support department

It's not a matter of faith to believe they do. They do. 

> > Finally, market dominance is meaningless if it is
> > achieved by loosing track of what FLOSS is.
> 
> By your statement, market dominance will never be
> accomplished. Or it would have happened.

Where is the hurry? I know it is a cultural difference, but under certain cultures we think hundreds of years to be recent history. 

> > The only purpose, as I see it, of market dominance is
> ensuring that all the people understand the benefits of Freedom as
> it relates to software.
> 
> No, it's about getting everyone onto the same page.
> Software, freedom, benefits - fluff. Users have too much
> else on their plate that concern them more.

I know, most Argentinians didn't care about freedom of expression during the Pinochet era. Does that mean that artists, writers and dissenters got killed in vain?


> 60's and segregation would seem to suggest there was no
> victory.
> If we generalize that it took 100 years of social change to
> abolish slavery, where are we at today with FLOSS?

Again, you seem to think that 100 years is too long. Hadn't slavery been abolished we would be at a very different place today.

Raul Suarez

Technology consultant
Software, Hardware and Practices
_________________
http://rarsa.blogspot.com/ 
An eclectic collection of random thoughts



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