[Ilugc] Is the proprietary camp winning ?
- From: toufeeqh@xxxxxxxxx (Toufeeq Hussain)
- Date: Mon Oct 16 11:41:56 2006
On 10/16/06, Ingeneur <goda.abishek@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Google is an excellent example of FOSS-based business. They spent
years developing their products behind closed doors using FOSS.
That is exactly the point. They will need FOSS developers, you still
cannot commit google search algorithm to my subversion, can you? You
work for Proprietory FOSS.
There are always going to be some parts of software which will be very
specific to a business. Releasing it as Free Software will not be a
value add. Honestly, if Google did release their implementation as a
FOSS product how many would be interested in using it ? The
implementation would be tied into Google's infrastructure that any
small-company which hopes to emulate Google will not be able to afford
to use it as efficiently as Google does.
OTOH, They do believe in sharing knowledge[1] [2] which is good. The
algorithm is there for you, go ahead and implement it if you want to
use it.
[1]
http://www-db.stanford.edu/~backrub/google.html
[2]
http://labs.google.com/papers/mapreduce-osdi04.pdf
their needs on Free Software is so much that they _NEED_ to hire the
best Free Software developers available. Do you think people like Greg
Stein, Guido and Andrew Morton are hired by Google out of charity ?
They will not have to be. Google kinda rules a part of the market!
Correct. Hence Google gets the best. The rest of the developers will
find opportunities elsewhere till they become the best.
1. Recognize that the Free Software community exists. (discovery)
2. Utilize Free Software as a replacement to proprietary software and
discover the merits if any exist (usage).
3. If the outcome from Step 2 is positive , then make sure that the
free software being used for it's needs is the best. (perfection)
Sounds like a vision statement. Realisable, agreed.
No, not a vision. Most of the companies are waking up to realize this[1].
[1]
http://port25.technet.com/archive/2006/09/11/Lessons-from-OSCON_3A00_--The-Powertoys-Team-Learns-How-To-Go-_2200_Open_2200_.aspx
4. Contribute the changes made to the community on a case-by-case
basis (active contribution).
This is vision.
ERR! Wrong again. It's happening.
http://opensource.nokia.com/
http://oss.oracle.com/
-Toufeeq
--
blog @
http://toufeeq.net
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