[wellylug] Linuxant gone commercial!!!

[Rob Stockley]

On Fri, 2003-10-31 at 07:56, Damon Lynch wrote:
> On Fri, 2003-10-31 at 06:41, Rob Stockley wrote:
> 
> > > 
> > > I also belive that conexant, should provide the drivers for it's
> > > hundreds of users, as the driver for a winmodem, is part of the
> > > product, which has been brought.
> > 
> > Would you be happier paying $50 for the hardware and nothing for the
> > driver? In this case there would be no immediate commercial incentive
> > for the developers to release an updated driver. 
> 
> For the product and the open source driver, absolutely.  What happens if
> the company goes out of business and the driver is still closed
> source?   Or if they decide they won't update it for a long period of
> time after gcc changes?  Bye bye medium term to long term use of your
> hardware.  It happens more than you might realise.
> 
> > 
> > I'm quite happy paying for software I really want to run. I know that my
> > $$ will help keep the linux revolution alive.
> > 
> The linux revolution is thriving only because it is open source.  Giving
> $$ to companies with policies like this may only stunt the growth of the
> movement, doing the opposite of what you intend.
> 
> Damon

I couldn't agree more. Pay for the hardware: Don't pay for the factory
driver if it sux: Instead seek out and pay for the driver that works for
you.

I haven't bought a computer with software preinstalled since the early
90s, preferring to select, purchase (sometimes) and install it myself.
Winmodems are only different in that there are fewer choices of software
for them.

Linux users having trouble finding drivers at a price and with the
supportability they demand can't have done enough homework before buying
the hardware. Check the HCLs.

The real issue is that these M$ dependent (almost) pieces of junk are a
real barrier to convincing new users that Linux is the way ahead. 

	"What use is a free OS if my modem won't work and I 
	can't surf the net? It worked fine under XP."

This for the sake of a $25 modem. 

Developers deserve to be paid for their efforts. If their source is
closed then their popularity could suffer and they might get paid less.
It's the natural order of things.

-- 
Rob Stockley <r_ob.st_ockley_ at _slings_hot.c_o._nz>

Open source does not translate to free in any language :-)