[Ex-Dem]

The anti-capitalist people also don't take into account the cost that goes into R/D for new, innovative software. Much of the software produced by the open source movement is based on software that companies like Microsoft and AOL have already introduced, and even so they're still not as full featured as the commericial versions. Just compare OpenOffice Equations and Microsoft Equations 3.0, which came out more than 5 years ago. They still haven't caught up.

[StJacques]

". . . Much of the software produced by the open source movement is based on software that companies like Microsoft and AOL have already introduced, and even so they're still not as full featured as the commericial versions. . . ."

Yes Ex-Dem, you are right. And I would add that the real motivation of much of the open source software that has been developed has been to limit user choice when handling applications on their own machines. That is why Hewlett-Packard raised such a hue and cry about being unable to remove Windows Explorer from the Windows operating system for desktop PCs. They didn't want PC users being able to manipulate files to the extent that they might not be forced to use HP software already installed.

[antiRepublicrat]

uch of the software produced by the open source movement is based on software that companies like Microsoft and AOL have already introduced

And Excel, Word, DOS and Windows are original products?

[Rifleman]

You may mean OpenOffice Math. That may be because anyone intending to create a document with serious math content will usually use LaTex, which makes those "paste the symbol and try to be wysiwyg and fail" toy typesetting applications sort of redundant.

Also, basing MS's alleged preeminence on an app that not one user in 500 will need and most will not even know about is sort of pitiful. And what in the world could you mean by anti-capitalist? Open Source activist organizations include IBM, Sun and Novell. How much more capitalist do you want? And the whole open source idea is based on private property.