Linked by David Adams on Tue 30th Sep 2008 02:26 UTC
A very interesting "Blogwatch" posting at Computerworld links out to an interview with Richard Stallman wherein he posits that Cloud Computing is a trap to entice users to give up control and privacy and become subject to closed, proprietary platforms. Since RMS is a professional provocateur, I wouldn't consider all of his pronouncements newsworthy. But the thoughtful responses linked in this blog roundup were interesting, and I believe the issue of convenience vs control vis a vis Cloud Computing is a very timely and important debate to be having at this point in IT history.
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RE[9]: Time to invest in cloud computing? - FOSS?
by da_Chicken on Sat 4th Oct 2008 16:59
in reply to "RE[8]: Time to invest in cloud computing? - FOSS?"
Member since:2006-01-01
Plenty of people, including the founder/leader of the Linux project have no time for that sillyness, and resent RMSs attempt to ride the coattails of an actual success.
Well, the free operating systems (GNU/Linux, *BSD, ...) have so far had relatively little success when compared to MS Windows, or even Mac OSX. Also, the GNU project has produced many times as much actual code to GNU/Linux than the Linux project. And, historically, there's no way to deny that the GNU project started to work on a free operating system long before the Linux project added a kernel to the OS. So they're not really just attempting to "ride the coattails".
What I see less than ingenious is that GNU and Linux (or, at least, the advocates of these projects) spend too much time insulting each other when they could join their forces and fight together the real opponents: the proprietary operating systems.
The argument that open source is an effective software development model is likely to appeal to developers and corporations. On the other hand, the "ethical" free software ideal that users should have the freedom to control their own computing and their own data might be more persuasive to ordinary computer users. So why not apply both of these arguments instead of trying to prove that only one of them is correct and the other one is wrong?
RE[10]: Time to invest in cloud computing? - FOSS?
by google_ninja on Sat 4th Oct 2008 17:07
in reply to "RE[9]: Time to invest in cloud computing? - FOSS?"
Member since:2006-02-05
Well, the free operating systems (GNU/Linux, *BSD, ...) have so far had relatively little success when compared to MS Windows, or even Mac OSX. Also, the GNU project has produced many times as much actual code to GNU/Linux than the Linux project. And, historically, there's no way to deny that the GNU project started to work on a free operating system long before the Linux project added a kernel to the OS. So they're not really just attempting to "ride the coattails".
Linux has had far more success then GNU HURD, which has been going since 1984 and has yet to produce a workable kernel. Stallman has never been able to penetrate anything but the universities, while Linux has been gaining more and more traction in the UNIX space. Gnu was chosen because it was free, and it was better then the alternative.
What I see less than ingenious is that GNU and Linux (or, at least, the advocates of these projects) spend too much time insulting each other when they could join their forces and fight together the real opponents: the proprietary operating systems.
The FSF has opponents, they are trying to spread a religion. The open source guys don't have opponents, they have the goal of creating great software.
The argument that open source is an effective software development model is likely to appeal to developers and corporations. On the other hand, the "ethical" free software ideal that users should have the freedom to control their own computing and their own data might be more persuasive to ordinary computer users. So why not apply both of these arguments instead of trying to prove that only one of them is correct and the other one is wrong?
Cause that is a line of bull. Users dont care about source code, they care about free as in cost and quality.
RE[10]: Time to invest in cloud computing? - FOSS?
by StephenBeDoper on Sat 4th Oct 2008 19:02
in reply to "RE[9]: Time to invest in cloud computing? - FOSS?"
Member since:2005-07-06
Well, the free operating systems (GNU/Linux, *BSD, ...) have so far had relatively little success when compared to MS Windows, or even Mac OSX. Also, the GNU project has produced many times as much actual code to GNU/Linux than the Linux project.
None of those points are particularly relevant.
It also begs the question: between GNU and Linux, who has benefited more from their association with each other? I think it's pretty clear that, in as much as there can be said to be a "debt," GNU owes significantly more to Linux than vice-versa.
If it weren't for prominence of being associated with Linux, who would know of / give a damn about GNU? No one outside of hardcore academic CS circles, I suspect.
And, historically, there's no way to deny that the GNU project started to work on a free operating system long before the Linux project added a kernel to the OS.
And how's that coming along?
Member since:
2006-02-05
Stallman has spent years on his high horse being ignored by everyone that matters in the industry. Linus used the GPL for practical, not religious purposes. Linux was started for practical, not religious purposes. If you buy into the whole Freedom thing, have fun with that. Plenty of people, including the founder/leader of the Linux project have no time for that sillyness, and resent RMSs attempt to ride the coattails of an actual success.