Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

RMS annoys developers, but ESR influences businesses

Author:Seth Gordon
Posted:8/29/2000; 8:20:12 AM
Topic:scriptingNews outline for 8/28/2000
Msg #:20469 (In response to 20438)
Prev/Next:20468 / 20470

From what I've seen over the past few years, the success of open source in the business world is not due to Stallman; it's due to Eric Raymond.

Raymond explains to businessmen how using open-source products, or using an open-source development model, is in the businessmen's self-interest. He acknowledges that in some cases, a closed-source license is better for the business than an open-source one. He even condemned Napster: "The real point is that by 'sharing' without the artist's consent, you deprive him of the right to control and dispose of his work. Forget the record companies; for this issue they are just big bloated red herrings, a noxious excuse, a convenient distraction. The real question is this: are you going to support the artists, or steal away the few shreds of autonomy they might have left?"

Based on some of the comments in this forum, I suspect that some commercial developers have been flamed to cinders by open-source zealots, and see open source's growing popularity as a sign that the zealots are winning. But even though Stallman's license may be more commonly used than it was, say, five years ago, I don't think Stallman's philosophy has made much headway.

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