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Linux Corporate Influence: Boon or Bane?

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the closer-looks dept.

Mark Tobenkin writes "Are corporations exploiting the Open Source community? The Linux Public Broadcasting Network has video interviews with Ian Murdock (of Progeny and Debian fame), Martin Roesch (author of Snort), Jeremey White (CEO of CodeWeavers), Bradley Kuhn (FSF), Mike Balma (Linux Business Strategist for HP) and others on the evolving OSS business models. The interviews center around whether integration with proprietary products endangers the Open Source effort or increases consumers' freedom to choose."

1 of 285 comments (clear)

  1. The real Ian Murdock interview. by niko9 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Murdock: You want answers?

    LPBN: I think I'm entitled to them.

    Murdock: You want answers?

    LPBN: I want the truth!

    Murdock: You can't handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has Linux opertaing systems. And those operating systems have to be guarded by men with compilers. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. McBride? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for BSD and you curse Red Hat. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that BSD's death, while tragic, probably saved desktops. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves desktops...You don't want the truth. Because deep down, in places you don't talk about at LAN parties, you want me on that kernel list. You need me on that weekly Debian update.
    We use words like l33t, code, haxor...we use these words as the backbone to a life spent defending something. You use 'em as a Slashdot punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very apt-get I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide it! I'd rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a orphaned package and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you're entitled to!

    LPBN: Did you order the Debian swirl red?

    Murdock: (quietly) I did the GNU OS you sent me to do.

    LPBN: Did you order that Debian swirley thing to be red?

    Murdock: You're goddamn right I did!!

    Of course, for clarity, they had to edit it a bit.