Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

The Riches of Open Source

Posted by michael on from the filthy-lucre dept.

Daniel Dvorkin writes "This BusinessWeek article argues convincingly that Linus Torvalds has more resources at his disposal than Bill Gates. Not only is it a nice overview of Why Open Source Really Matters pitched to a non-technical audience, but it makes a solid argument in favor of OSS in general and Linux in particular, from a solidly capitalist perspective."

10 of 693 comments (clear)

  1. It's a wonderful life by spidergoat2 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm sure that Linus has more friends than Bill Gates anyway.

    1. Re:It's a wonderful life by nyet · · Score: 5, Funny

      >People who have insane amounts of drive and passion for life and their work (like Bill Gates) have plenty of friends.

      Nope. I have first hand accounts that Bill Gates is a pariah at parties and social events. He mostly sits in the corner alone because nobody will talk to him.

  2. Slavery is illegal, so... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Bill Gates has to pay people to work for him. Linus does not. Advantage: Linus.

    1. Re:Slavery is illegal, so... by Uma+Thurman · · Score: 5, Funny

      I've been jacking off for 10 years while all you people wrote me an operating system. Thanks!

      Advantage: furious masturbator

      --
      This is America, damnit. Speak Spanish!
  3. Linus is my Shepherd by kallisti777 · · Score: 5, Funny

    The open source community is, according to the article, "a vast flock of very creative, un-sheeplike sheep".

    I have little to add to that... it's just a great line. Beware of getting fleeced by SCO. ;-)

    --
    Vanya's Law: "In any culture without irony, fart jokes will be the highest form of humor."
  4. Obligatory mantra to Torvalds by Mr.+Sketch · · Score: 5, Funny

    Our PC GOD Torvalds, which art in Transmeta^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H OSDL
    Hallowed be thy skillz
    Thy kernel comes, in the US and all the earth
    Give us this day our daily updates.
    And forgive us our holes, as we apply thine patch.
    And lead us not into closed source, but deliver us from Microsoft.
    For thine is the kernel, the skillz, and the leetness for ever and ever. Amen.

    --
    Things you think are in the Constitution, but are not.
  5. D vs. G by RealErmine · · Score: 3, Funny

    From the article: On the surface, Linus vs. Bill seems to be the ultimate David vs. Goliath contest.

    I'm pretty sure that, by definition, the ultimate David vs. Goliath contest was in fact: David vs. Goliath.

    Otherwise they'd be called "Linus vs. Bill" contests now wouldn't they?

    --
    Dewey, you fool! Your decimal system has played right into my hands!
  6. Re:Gates has more. Much more. by Gannoc · · Score: 3, Funny
    Linus can't do that. Linus can just dominate the software world, but his power is mostly limited to that subject. I don't think Linus will ever have a giant laser cannon.


    I know you're joking, but I have to give Bill Gates some credit. If I was obscenely wealthy like that, I don't think I would be ABLE to stop myself from buying a laser cannon.


    It would be like you or me buying a Snickers.

  7. Sheep? by Chris+Acheson · · Score: 3, Funny

    While Torvalds is a threat to Gates, Gates seems to be little or no threat to Torvalds. To hear Torvalds talk about it, he's having fun as Linux' guardian. His challenge is merely that of being an effective shepherd to a vast flock of very creative, un-sheeplike sheep.

    A flock of sheep? Shouldn't that be a herd of cats?

    --
    AEIOU: open-source anonymous internet currency
  8. Re:Who give more? by kinnell · · Score: 4, Funny

    And lets not forget the thousands of extra IT jobs Bill has created because people have to constantly repair damage caused by his broken software.

    --
    If I seem short sighted, it is because I stand on the shoulders of midgets