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Open Source: Facts and Figures

Posted by Hemos on from the learning-more-about-it dept.

Eloquence writes "Much of the debate about GNU/Linux and open source is dominated by rhetoric rather than facts. David Wheeler has just released a new version of his "paper" (which, at 440,000 characters, is more of an e-book now) 'Why Open Source Software / Free Software (OSS/FS)? Look at the Numbers!'. According to David, this paper 'examines market share, reliability, performance, scalability, security, and total cost of ownership. It also has sections on non-quantitative issues, unnecessary fears, OSS/FS on the desktop, usage reports, other sites providing related information, and ends with some conclusions.' May come in handy when talking to your boss about Linux."

10 of 199 comments (clear)

  1. Should "Look at the Numbers"... by krog · · Score: 1, Funny

    ...put this story under bsd.slashdot.org?

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    Cretin - a powerful and flexible CD reencoder
  2. 440,000 characters?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    More like War and Peace... :p

  3. a 400 meg document by stratjakt · · Score: 5, Funny

    To describe why we don't need a lot of rhetoric to support linux.

    I know "irony" isn't the correct word to use, but I don't feel like thinking of the right one.

    To summarize: Some blowhard likes linux and wont shut up about it

    --
    I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
    1. Re:a 400 meg document by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      i think you mean 400k. 400,000 characters.

      Unless each "character" is a 1k chinese pictogram image or something

    2. Re:a 400 meg document by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      I think that he's just assuming that it's in MS Word format.

  4. Trying to convince my boss to read... by Wehesheit · · Score: 2, Funny

    a huge "paper" full of anything besides pr0n isn't going to be fun.

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    This P.I.G. will walk on the water, This P.I.G. will walk on the sea, This P.I.G. will walk whereever he wants.
  5. One case where it's fine not to RTFA by hugesmile · · Score: 3, Funny

    There would be no comments here, if we all R'd TFA. Too much reading for my small brain.

  6. Re:Why do people care so much? by hugesmile · · Score: 3, Funny
    I use OSS and propietary software.
    I've developed both.
    I'm not a disciple of either.
    They both have their place.

    Not a very poetic Haiku...
    How about

    I use Open Source
    and closed source software as well
    They both have their place

    In Japan, it was funnier.

  7. ends with what? by eddeye · · Score: 4, Funny
    It also ... ends with some conclusions.'

    You fools! That's exactly what they expect! You can't fight the system playing by their rules! It should end with a tangent. Or an introduction. They'll never see that coming!

    You damned fools, you've played right into their hands! We're doomed, doomed, doomed ...

    --
    Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on lunch.
  8. Sounds like... by thewiz · · Score: 2, Funny

    "The phishing threats and the growing professional chorus of disapproval for Internet Explorer provide Windows users with very good reasons to turn elsewhere, even if only temporarily. But [OSS/FS] Firefox is so good that many will want to stay with it. And once they have tasted the power and freedom of open source, maybe they will be tempted to try 'just one more program'."

    Sounds like a commercial for potato chips. However, I'll admit that I can't download just one OSS/FS product.

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    If "disco" means "I learn" in Latin, does "discothèque" mean "I learn technology"?