IntenseDebate - MaureenWU

15 years ago @ Scott Granneman's... - A Kfsource Interview w... · 0 replies · +1 points

Forking, involving Oracle and OpenOffice:
http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2011/04/o...

15 years ago @ Scott Granneman's... - An Alternative to Micr... · 0 replies · +1 points

This was really an interesting article. Since it's dated 2003, I searched for some updates and found some at http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2010/02/b.... It states that the International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA) "condemned" Indonesia for choosing open source software:

"In its 301 recommendations for Indonesia, the IIPA demands that the government rescind its 2009 statement. According to the IIPA, Indonesia's policy "weakens the software industry and undermines its long-term competitiveness" because open source software "encourages a mindset that does not give due consideration to the value to intellectual creations [and] fails to build respect for intellectual property rights." "

The article then states:

"The IIPA's position is profoundly hypocritical, because many parts of the US government, including the Department of Defense, have issued their own memos endorsing open source software adoption."

Interesting...

15 years ago @ Scott Granneman's... - Experts: Reliance On M... · 0 replies · +1 points

‘We need operating system diversity,’ said John Quarterman, another of the report’s authors and the founder of InternetPerils, an Internet risk-management company.

This article was written in 2003, and I wonder if the government has done anything since then to alleviate the risks.

15 years ago @ Scott Granneman's... - A Kfsource Interview w... · 0 replies · +1 points

I don't know if "forking" is as rare as Mr. Webbink claimed (perhaps at the time, it was), but it appears to happen when people become angry with one another and so break off to achieve a different objective. This seems to me to be a lot of wasted time in terms of duplication, but there might be some good results from it when it does occur. The open-source community so far, however, seems to have a pretty good reputation and track record of forking not happening wholesale. Again, I think Microsoft's ability to stay afloat is due to the nature of people (perhaps read "baby-boomers") to want something "built" handed to them and to avoid anything that sounds like it might change before they are ready to get another one. :) Microsoft will have to change one of these days to appeal to younger, more tech-savvy generations.

15 years ago @ Scott Granneman's... - GNU General Public Lic... · 0 replies · +1 points

Yeah, this one is actually comprehensible. What I also like about it is the tone of it. Preamble included, it felt a bit more like a bill of rights than a legalistic scare tactic. I'm sure it was vetted by lawyers, but instead of figuring out how to handcuff the person agreeing to the terms, it's a nice, easily understood explanation of "how this works".

15 years ago @ Scott Granneman's... - Why is Microsoft Attac... · 0 replies · +1 points

But they have changed their tune since then, haven't they? Isn't there a component of Windows 7 that originally violated GPL due to it being based on open-source, and they pulled it? Then I thought I heard that they re-issued it under GPL.

15 years ago @ Scott Granneman's... - Bill Gates Gives Open ... · 0 replies · +1 points

"A second advantage of open-source programs is that security and reliability problems can be fixed quickly..."

This reminded me that I've recently been in a website about security, where some of the commenters have answered the question, "Why don't Macs get viruses?", with "Because there are less Macs out there."

I like that open-source software is frequently changing. Cyber-criminals have to decide what to spend their time on.

15 years ago @ Scott Granneman's... - An Open Letter to Hobb... · 0 replies · +1 points

"As the majority of hobbyists must be aware, most of you steal your software...I would appreciate letters from any one who wants to pay up..."

That letter made me laugh out loud. The funniest part is that I can see his point. But now, looking back on the history of his company, I find it difficult to muster any sympathy. "Hobbyists" all over are now writing and/or collaborating on software.

15 years ago @ Scott Granneman's... - Linux Inc. · 0 replies · +1 points

I can't count the number of people who have told me in the last few months that they have Linux at home for their families. And these aren't IT people, just people who have read that it's more secure. A friend of mine has Linux on his kids' laptops. Is this a newfound appreciation for Linux, or have improvements to Linux increased in the past year or so?

15 years ago @ Scott Granneman's... - Leader of the Free World · 0 replies · +1 points

I enjoyed this article. In fact, it was one more time this semester when I have thought, "These guys who created all of these 'strange' things are not the stereotypical geek or nerd." Torvald is interesting and funny, and I love his "I don't want to know" attitude. His letting other people finish his project for him made me think he is a Finnish Tom Sawyer.

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