Aseem Rane wrote:
On 10/11/06, Rony ronbillypop@yahoo.co.uk wrote:
Except for Devdas who is not a follower of GNU, no other supporter of 'freedom' , 'open source', 'gnu' and 'gpl' gave any details of the motherboards they used for their clients. When it comes to some else's fruits of labour, its freedom and open source but when it comes to opening the source code of their own fruits of labour, they clam up. Then you get a lot of advice but not the actual information you are looking for.
I strongly object to the above para Rony. Me and many others have given you our hardware info running Linux. I do not have any "clients" and probably for others it is the same. So we offered you all the info available with us without holding back anything.
Nothing personal. Read my original request for mobos. It was a request to those who *had* clients and regularly installed linux workstations for them. If you do not fall in that category, why feel upset. I had already thanked everyone for giving information on self-owned mobos.
You might be looking for very specific information from other business owners. But then do not blame all the "supporter of 'freedom' , 'open source', 'gnu' and 'gpl'" I expect an apology from you.
Again it does not apply to you. It is those business owners who withheld information about their trade secrets on hardware they use for clients and then supporting freedom of information on others' labour of writing code ( foss vs closed) . I am not against holding back information that someone has painstaking collected over the years through hard work. But then they should give this freedom to others too. I was surprised that none of the total freedom supporters reprimanded the fanatic who tried to take away this freedom from his ideological opponent. Only one person stood up. Freedom is a 2 way process.
Thats why I had asked that question and I ask again....
How many freedom fighters on this list actually own commercial software companies and how many of these software companies are making non-customized software that can be used by everyone *and* , are the source codes of these non-customized softwares available to everyone on the internet under the gpl?
There are millions out there who think closed source is the only successful business model. How many of them actually own commercial software companies?? I don't understand the point you are making.
How about starting your own software company and writing a closed source Auto-CAD software which would be a successful market leader. Sirf khayaali khichdi pakaana chhod do Rony.
Khayali or not, if I make a CAD software, I will not open its source code.
The bottom line as jtd pointed out in other thread is, being successful in business takes more than just opening or closing your code.
I personally feel that FOSS or GNU or GPL whatever you call it, will not survive in the retail sector. Thats why from the responses to my question it is clear that hardly anyone on this list is doing a roaring business in foss retail software. Customizing GPled software is one of the very successful business strategies but in retail, one cannot survive by letting others know your code. GNU/FOSS/GPL is a social service to the user community. Thats why most FOSS softwares are called 'projects' not commercial ventures. Even their websites have .org as their url. In retail software I feel there are only 2 ways to sell it. One through closed source and make money on the copies sold or *Institutional* commercial grade support to the programmers who take pains ( not voluntary work ) to write the FOSS code and let it be open for everyone. That way they make good money writing the code and the people benefit from free as in beer or low cost software. The pros. will give customized versions to corporates and make good money on support. The copy cats will loose out because the software is already available for free/low cost in its best form.
My question was meant to be incisive. If it has hurt anybodys' feelings then my apologies to them all. The whole issue is about giving the foss retail programmer his commercial due for writing the retail foss code that benefits all of us. It started with a comment on how a foss creator will make money.
Regards,
Rony.
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