M$ word is used by many people for creating documents. We all know M$ does
not share the source code for this and is evil. Now Google has started
providing a service which competes with M$ Word (not yet .... lets just
assume so for the sake of this arguement). To an end user, say a doctor,
both provide the same service - that of creating documents.
Now, just because Google uses open source technologies is it in any way less
evil than M$? They too have not shared the Writely code with the rest of the
world! Whether it is useful for the rest or not is irrelevant. Let them
release it and let the 'rest' decide whether its useful or not. Can they
afford to do this?
Or, is it alright if I keep the source code to myself as long as I run it on
my computer and only provide the service to others - software as service
model. Is it evil only if I sell a binary and ask the user to run the
service for himself? So, if M$ stops selling all software and does only MSN
Live... will they stop being evil?
How does all this matter to the doctor anyway?
regds,
mano
--
War is not about who's right..... its about who's left!