Linux, Inc.

BusinessWeek online ^ | 21 January 2005 | Steve Hamm

[ShadowAce]

Linus Torvalds once led a ragtag band of software geeks. Not anymore. Here's an inside look at how the unusual Linux business model increasingly threatens Microsoft

Five years ago, Linus Torvalds faced a mutiny. The reclusive Finn had taken the lead in creating the Linux computer operating system, with help from thousands of volunteer programmers, and the open-source software had become wildly popular for running Web sites during the dot-com boom. But just as Linux was taking off, some programmers rebelled. Torvalds' insistence on manually reviewing everything that went into the software was creating a logjam, they warned. Unless he changed his ways, they might concoct a rival software package -- a threat that could have crippled Linux. "Everybody knew things were falling apart," recalls Larry McVoy, a programmer who played peacemaker. "Something had to be done."

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Draw your own conclusions, I definitely have mine.

Completely devoid of reality, having never written a line of code in your life.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Thankfully, it may be some time away, allowing us the chance to adapt our laws and overcome the dangers, based on warnings such as mine.

Talk about delusions of grandeur.

I take it your great plan is to make it illegal for people to release their code under the license of their choice. You want to be free to steal it and make it your own.

You are the Communist boogeyman that you accuse open source advocates of being.

[Golden Eagle]

LOL. Check your favorite source buddy, communism.org:

An example of communist work relationships is provided by the Linux computer operating system

You can run, but you can't hide. And insulting me is just making you look like an idiot, I'm just pointing out the obvious.

[rdb3]

Slackware >>>> all

Oh, yeah!

[chronic_loser]

Are you competing in some type of contest for the stupidest post on free republic, or something? That has to be one of the most cranially vacuous pieces of drivel I have ever seen. You managed to cram fud, ignorance of the OSRM, ignorance of redhat and their distros, ignorance of the behavior of rhat over the last 8 mos, and ignorance over the nature of the open source model and cram them all into 3 short sentences.

You have my vote for the prize.

[Golden Eagle]

Ah, another disciple of the GNU Manifesto. A chronic loser, indeed.

http://www.gnu.org/gnu/manifesto.html

[chronic_loser]

Go to ebay and buy a distro of knoppix for a dollar. under 5 shipped. I used to d/l the distros, but I like to play around with em, and it takes too long to pull them down. I buy them nowadays. I picked up suse, gentoo, debian, bsd, knoppix, college linux, mandrake and fedora all for about 12 dollars shipped.I use fedora at work for a file server and firewall. I run suse here at home.

The only thing that surprises me more than the robustness of these systems is the idiocy of some of the clowns on FR who prate about "communism" and linux. It has nothing to do with capitalism and communism. It is a different method of development of software and a different method of marketing.

This issue and the issue of immigration convinces me that there are some damn stupid people on free republic.

[chronic_loser]

I'm going to have to try this out. I've been waiting for Linux to get (down) to my skill level. ;-) Just don't try it with a wireless card. You'll run screaming for the door.>>>>

you mean like the gigafast wireless card parked in my ibm thinkpad 600, running fedora as I type this? that kind of screaming for the door?

[Golden Eagle]

Take your complaints straight to www.communism.org, they proudly proclaim Linux as a perfect example of communist work principles. Check the definition at www.wikipedia.com as well, an open source encyclopedia since you seem to prefer products free of any appreciable cost.

If you aren't willing to believe true communists and open source encyclopedias, you'll have to find some better proof on your own that the two aren't actually related. As for your denials? Meaningless.

[chronic_loser]

Hell, I was arguing Von Mises with my professors 27 years ago. I read Human Action before anyone else I know of knew who HE was. I read Mill, Smith, Friedman and debated the differences between the Austrian School and the Chicago School when I was a grad student (chemistry, not economics).

I can say confidently that at least your knowledge of open source software comes pretty close to your understanding of economics.

I find you an amusing, if reactionary, dolt. But what do I know? I am a communist because I use open source software

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

GPL is not the only licensing scheme available. There are several other standard options which are popular and allow for the selling of software. You can even make money under the GPL by selling services.

[VeniVidiVici]

you mean like the gigafast wireless card parked in my ibm thinkpad 600, running fedora as I type this? that kind of screaming for the door?

If you're a newbie to Linux, then my hat's off to you.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

A link to your own psychotic website. Amazing.

[antiRepublicrat]

Yeah, well, when the bloody reds name a pirated version of OSX

Pirating involves violation of copyright, and there would be none, unless they took the whole of OS X, which includes non-open source material.

[antiRepublicrat]

An example of communist work relationships is provided by the Linux computer operating system

And yet Linux also exemplifies the great charitable volunteer spirit of America, both personal and corporate. I guess soup kitchens are bad because they steal business from local restaurants.

[Codename - Ron Benjamin]

they proudly proclaim Linux as a perfect example of communist work principles

That's fine, because communists never lie and have never been wrong about anything, of course.

/sarcasm

[MarkL]

Would Redhat or Novell or any of the others allow me to load Linux on a PC and add it to a Microsoft network that's running ICS, without being a Linux expert? That's what would get me to try it.

As long as your ICS system doesn't require some sort of client software running on the linux box (just looks like a router to the Internet), there isn't any reason that you couldn't. In fact, using the SAMBA features, you can have 2 way file and print sharing between the Windows and Linux systems.

Mark

[MarkL]

There's plenty of reasons to ignore if not attack open source software like linux. For me, it starts with the fact that it's the preferred product of Democrats, socialists, and communists the world over. Here's some good reading for those who would are interested, and there's plenty more where these came from.

And you know what? I've heard that the majority of murderers in the USA use guns! So guns must be bad! All those evil guns on the streets!...

Software is a tool, just like guns. I hope you were just being silly with your statement.

Mark

[MarkL]

Or you'd rather steal it or trespass their patents, then deny, all in the name of trashing Microsoft and the other products above.

But given Microsoft's recent agreements with China, shouldn't you be boycotting Microsoft too?

Mark

[MarkL]

IIRC, at one time, you could get an i386 version of SunOS for free.

Mark