Re: ADTPro beta available

["mdj" <mdj.mdj@gmail.com>]

Michael J. Mahon wrote:

> > Instead we got $0 Unix applications, thanks to Linux and the
> > Open Source movement.
>
> I'm tempted to ask, "So how's that working for you?", but the play
> on Dr. Phil probably doesn't work outside the US.  ;-)
>
> The jury is still out on whether there is a sufficient supply of
> altruism to provide all the applications that people want, and are
> willing to pay for, free.  There certainly aren't enough for me,
> but YMMV.

Given that much of the critical application supply has actually come
from the corporate world, I think this question has already been
answered, although it may be a question of speed of supply.

One would have to be an incurable romantic to believe that Sun bought
an office suite, opened the code, and pays many developers to enhance
it out of the desire to serve the common good :-)

> My concern is that much of this effort is a "childrens' crusade" and
> will pass like love-ins and free concerts.

As long as there are future generations of children, and the
infrastructure remains 'free' ...

I'm inspired by Negroponte, and the possibilities that exist through
opening the doors to a much, much wider audience of people.

> If the movement persists and succeeds, then it will have a long-lasting
> effect on both platforms and markets.  But so far, it is a small ripple
> on a large pond, in terms of its economic impact.

Really? If you think of it purely in terms of the consumer facing PC
market, that's probably true. However the impact on the server end and
embedded spaces is massive, and growing daily.

The key to the 'fight' I've always thought was for the open source
community to continue to dominate the 'market' for software that makes
the network tick.

> >>Linux is trying to rekindle that flame, but it's so late and so far
> >>down the road that their primary "fuel" is not the excellence of
> >>thier offering, but fear and hatred of Microsoft.  Truly a movement
> >>driven by negative energy.  ;-)  (BTW, this in no way applies to the
> >>high priests of Linux, who are all devoted idealists--only to the
> >>_hoi polloi_ who chant in the streets waving firebrands, or to the
> >>corporate opportunists who see a stick to swing at MS.  ;-)
> >
> >
> > Otoh Linux does also offer an economical advantage compared to M$...
>
> If you look at "total cost of ownership", many companies have come to
> different conclusions.  Much depends on things that haven't yet
> happened...

Yep, the market may have matured, but it's only showing minor wrinkles
thus far :-)

> >>A revolution may take hold, but, like all revolutions, not without
> >>most of its participants becoming tainted with the same ugliness that
> >>they were revolting against.  Never underestimate the power of the
> >>dark side.  ;-)
> >
> >
> > Perhaps the dark side is your father.... ;-)
>
> Ha!  ;-)
>
> For all of us, the dark side is our father--and the light side is
> our mother.  What we do about it is up to us!
>
> Think of the "dark side" as the reptilian brain, and the "light side"
> as the frontal cortex.  ;-)  Both have proven necessary at one time
> or another to our survival!

A very reptilian view :-)

Matt