[Discuss] Why use Linux?

[Martin Owens]

On Wed, 2014-02-12 at 00:13 -0600, Jack Coats wrote:
> Yes, sell hardware, support and installation services, books, classes
> is all fine, but they are comparatively 'high touch' sources of income
> where the software licensing approach is much 'lower touch' and scales
> if you have a product the public 'must have'.

Where 'high touch' means 'getting paid for doing actual work' and 'lower
touch' means 'getting paid for sitting on your arse'

Sure, "low touch" is more capitalist. But it isn't honest.

We must face facts when it comes to the mechanical nature of software
and mathematics. It is not possible to effectively* proprietarise
software without escalating maintenance and advancement costs and
reduced customer freedom, ownership and in the end satisfaction.

There are two stands of resistance to Free and Open Source. One is the
loss-aversion from developers and investors who are not willing to share
(and thus work out their true business model). This is a psychological
disorder which can be overcome with a bit of introspection.

The other is actually from the FOSS side. Developers who believe money
should never be involved with software development and hinder the
progress of Free Software development as an industry force through their
misplaced politics.

Martin Owens

* Effective in the long term, obviously any industry can cut and run
with a bunch of bullshat.