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What is Open Source?

Posted by michael on from the if-you-have-to-ask dept.

s390 writes "The Inquirer is running an article by Olliance about "What is Open Source?" It appears to be the first of a two-part series for managers about how to engage with the open source community. The writers seem to know their material. Are they on target or have they missed something important? Do PHBs really need to read this sort of introduction to get comfortable with the idea of using Linux and other open source software?"

4 of 322 comments (clear)

  1. Maybe by T40+Dude · · Score: 5, Funny

    they should ask SCO ?

  2. Unfortunately.. by cK-Gunslinger · · Score: 5, Funny


    .. no one can be told what Open Source is.

  3. So.. by zapfie · · Score: 5, Funny


    What is Open Source?

    Open Source is patient. Open Source is kind. It does not envy.

    It does not boast, it is not proud

    It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered

    It keeps no record of wrongs

    Open Source does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth

    It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres

    --
    slashdot!=valid HTML
  4. What is open source? by The+Bungi · · Score: 5, Funny
    That most interesting of human endeavors whereby some people give away the fruit of their labor and get nothing in return. The idea here is that "closed software" is an anathema to human freedom and therefore clashes with the pursuit of life, liberty and well-cooked apple pie.

    A theory formulated by people who came to age trying to screw universities out of what they considered their own personal property, which was then somehow extrapolated to the real world and subsequently swallowed in extremis by a few technically capable idealists and several million people looking for a free ride who contribute absolutely nothing but "believe" and therefore are part of the "community".

    The resulting movement (and its derivatives) can be thought of as the technological version of the catholic church during the depth of the medieval era - in both structure and radical "join us or die" behavior.

    Along the way they convince themselves that "some day" they'll make a buck on giving away stuff, and when they don't (which is the most common result), they blame the government, the system, the corporations and the weather for being "unfair".

    Basically.