Re: [PLUG] Reg: You thought you bought software – all you bought was a lie

[JP Vossen via plug <plug@lists.phillylinux.org>]

On 10/5/22 18:45, Fred Stluka wrote:
> On 10/4/22 8:35 PM, JP Vossen via plug wrote:
> > https://www.theregister.com/2022/10/04/you_cannot_buy_software/
> >
> > I think this is a great article, though I don't 100% agree that all source code is useless and unreadable.  Otherwise, that's pretty much why I like open source software...the freedom.
>
> Right.  Imagine trying to use a tool like apt or yum, if each
> of the dozens of dependent installs/upgrades had to check
> for a license and prompt you for a credit card number!  The
> freedom to use and upgrade FOSS apps, tools, and libraries
> is HUGE.

My head just exploded.  :-)


> I also agree with the point about using FOSS apps as a first
> step, before moving to a FOSS OS.  I've moved a few people
> off of Windows, by moving them first to all non-MS apps
> like Firefox/Chrome, Thunderbird, LibreOffice.  Once they
> were using such apps, they really didn't care any more what
> OS they were using.  Just as Windows made you not care too
> much what "IBM PC" hardware it ran on, so FOSS apps make
> you not care what OS they run on.

That's good point.  That's how it worked for moving my mom so long ago, she was only using Firefox, Thunderbird and MS Office anyway.  So the move to Linux was, for her, MS Office to OpenOffice (at the time), which was net zero change.


> Also, in addition to the cost of *managing* the licenses, consider
> the cost, to the vendors and the users, of simply *checking* for
> valid licenses all the time.  Lots of extra code, lots of edge cases
> that arise because some piece isn't licensed, lots of lost CPU time,
> etc.

I want to say, screw them, it's their fault to begin with, too f-ing bad.  But the user is, of course, the one who ultimately gets screwed, through bugs, bloat, and cost.  Sigh.

Later,
JP
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