RE: LINUX is the "one" ? .... Comments??? -- MIDRANGE-L

You're right, Martin...!  Seriously.

But I evidently come across stronger than what I intend...  I dunno why...

I'm actually do NOT view Linux as evil or anything.  I would use Linux if it
was the best tool for the job.  The ability of iSeries to run Linux is a BIG
plus, as it brings additional apps to the 400 table.

My VERY strong pushback is against the errant notion that "Open" Source IS A
PROGRAMMING METHODOLOGY.. when IT'S NOT...  As well as a whole host of other
Convention NON-Wisdom about "Open" Source that is just BLINDLY ACCEPTED as
fact.

"Open" Source is based on a marketing gimmick, (to me, based on what is in
essence a lie), and is just the (supposed) rationale of the Free Software
movement clothed in sheep's clothing, as far as my eye can see.  To repeat
from post last night:
http://archive.midrange.com/midrange-l/200304/msg00510.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>From OSI site:  http://www.opensource.org/advocacy/case_for_hackers.php

"The case that needs to be made to most techies isn't about the concept of
open source, but the name. Why not call it, as we traditionally have, free
software?

One direct reason is that the term "free software" is easily misunderstood
in ways that lead to conflict. You can read an extended discussion of this
problem.

But the real reason for the re-labeling is a marketing one. We're trying to
pitch our concept to the corporate world now. We have a winning product, but
our positioning, in the past, has been awful. The term "free software" has
been misunderstood by business persons, who mistake the desire to share with
anti-commercialism, or worse, theft.

Mainstream corporate CEOs and CTOs will never buy "free software." But if we
take the very same tradition, the same people, and the same free-software
licenses and change the label to "open source" ? that, they'll buy."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But reality is reality, so even if Linux and "Open" Source are much more a
MARKETING reality than any reality about programming as I know it..

..I don't see much sense in throwing the baby out with the bath water.


You may recall, a while back, I offered to at least make a strong attempt to
set up an LPAR, for David to run this listserve on MailMan...  Of course, my
preferred solution would-a been a native iSeries solution, but it wasn't
gonna be my call.

On another occasion, I left the AS/400 Advocacy Group (after just the first
2 weeks, after "accidently" getting invited in the first place...;-) (for a
whole HOST-a reasons, including) because a LOTTA people were giving IBM a
WHOLE lotta grief because they didn't use the (then-)AS/400 internally...
Whilst the AAG list was being run on *nix itself.  And I got some grief for
mentioning this point.  Like I said, there were other reasons as well.

:
:

I don't see Linux as evil, or MicroShaft or IBM either.  I see some-a these
as MORE working FOR the interests of their consumers, and some MORE working
AGAINST the interests of their consumers.  "Open" Source projects, not
having paying customers, have a STRONG tendency to (inadvertantly, I assume)
work against the interests of their consumers, from what I've observed.


===> Point is, I'm not a computer and am not programmed to sacrifice the
pragmatism of using a tool I know that works reasonably well...

..just because I don't like EACH and EVERY principle of the
company/group/individual that produces it.  Which is why I still use M$
products (yeah, "my bad" which I'll hafta address at some point) and the
400, just like most-a Youse...  And IF that makes me a "hypocrite", then I'm
sorry but I'm guess I have to be a (hopefully pragmatic...;-) "hypocrite".

I believe The Mahatma Ghandi said, on one occasion (something close to):
"My commitment is not to rigid consistency, but to the Truth as I see it, of
the present moment."  Good unuf goal fer me.

| -----Original Message-----
| From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
| [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of McCallion, Martin
| Sent: Friday, April 04, 2003 3:43 AM
| To: 'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'
| Subject: RE: LINUX is the "one" ? .... Comments???
|
|
| jt wrote:
|
| > The latter is obvious, but paying nothing for software DOES
| > automatically
| > make it bad.
|
| If you really feel as strongly as you've made out about the evils of
| free software, then you should probably resign from these evil,
| Linux-powered lists.  ;-)
|
| Cheers,
|
| Martin.
|