Posted by
ryuzaki0
on from the open-is-better-right dept.
slackah writes "OpenWengo an open source alternative to skype. It includes features such as sip calls, SMS, video conference, and automatic NAT configuration. It's still under heavy development, but it looks very promising."
Hopefully not GPL'd
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: -1, Offtopic
As a consultant for several large companies, I'd always done my work on Windows. Recently however, a top online investment firm asked us to do some work using Linux. The concept of having access to source code was very appealing to us, as we'd be able to modify the kernel to meet our exacting standards which we're unable to do with Microsoft's products.
Although we met several technical challenges along the way (specifically, Linux's lack of Token Ring support and the fact that we were unable to defrag its ext2 file system), all in all the process went smoothly. Everyone was very pleased with Linux, and we were considering using it for a great deal of future internal projects.
So you can imagine our suprise when we were informed by a lawyer that we would be required to publish our source code for others to use. It was brought to our attention that Linux is copyrighted under something called the GPL, or the Gnu Protective License. Part of this license states that any changes to the kernel are to be made freely available. Unfortunately for us, this meant that the great deal of time and money we spent "touching up" Linux to work for this investment firm would now be available at no cost to our competitors.
Furthermore, after reviewing this GPL our lawyers advised us that any products compiled with GPL'ed tools - such as gcc - would also have to its source code released. This was simply unacceptable.
Although we had planned for no one outside of this company to ever use, let alone see the source code, we were now put in a difficult position. We could either give away our hard work, or come up with another solution. Although it was tought to do, there really was no option: We had to rewrite the code, from scratch, for Windows 2000.
I think the biggest thing keeping Linux from being truly competitive with Microsoft is this GPL. Its draconian requirements virtually guarentee that no business will ever be able to use it. After my experience with Linux, I won't be recommending it to any of my associates. I may reconsider if Linux switches its license to something a little more fair, such as Microsoft's "Shared Source". Until then its attempts to socialize the software market will insure it remains only a bit player.
Thank you for your time.
Re:Hopefully not GPL'd
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: -1, Offtopic
YHBT. YHL. HAND.
Re:Hopefully not GPL'd
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: -1, Offtopic
DO NOT FEED THE TROLL!
Re:Hopefully not GPL'd
by
dasunt
·
· Score: 0, Offtopic
[Snip story about how all code that runs on linux must be GPLed.]
But surely, Windows is out of the question as well, since your code that runs on windows must surely fall under MS copyright. At least with the GPL, you can sell your binaries, even if you have to give away the source.
This must be why [Free|Net|Open]BSD is so popular -- the liberal license allows you to both sell your code and keep it private. Just don't accidentally confuse a linux box with a BSD box, or else you'll have to GPL the code. Be careful about Windows as well. Microsoft is making a new unix-like shell called MSH just to try to confuse you into giving your code to them.
Remember, BSD is the only platform for independent software developers.
Mods: I know I'm joking.;)
Re:Hopefully not GPL'd
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: -1, Offtopic
I wonder if this AC's last name is "Balmer"!!!!
The inability to defrag an ext2 filesystem is a FEATURE! When you realize there are faster data structures than a linked list (especially considering prefetch mechanisms for disks), it is MORBIDLY amazing that FAT32 has lasted so long...
Windows users must like spending a portion of their day rebooting and defragging.
I for one, like to use Linux, get my work done, and get out of the office!
First Post is a ...
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: -1, Offtopic
comment that the site's been slashdotted. *sigh*
More open source
by
brenddie
·
· Score: -1, Offtopic
I want an open source cellphone
-- The best test environment is production. - Me
chrome://browser/content/browser.xul
Why give away your work for free?
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: -1, Offtopic
Skypt is *not* user friendly, and until it is Skypt will stay with >1% marketshare.
Take installation. Skypt zealots are now saying "oh installing is so easy, just do apt-get install package or emerge package": Yes, because typing in "apt-get" or "emerge" makes so much more sense to new users than double-clicking an icon that says "setup".
Skypt zealots are far too forgiving when judging the difficultly of Skypt configuration issues and far too harsh when judging the difficulty of Windows configuration issues. Example comments:
User: "How do I get Quake 3 to run in Skypt?" Zealot: "Oh that's easy! If you have Redhat, you have to download quake_3_rh_8_i686_010203_glibc.bin, then do chmod +x on the file. Then you have to su to root, make sure you type export LD_ASSUME_KERNEL=2.2.5 but ONLY if you have that latest libc6 installed. If you don't, don't set that environment variable or the installer will dump core. Before you run the installer, make sure you have the GL drivers for X installed. Get them at [some obscure web address], chmod +x the binary, then run it, but make sure you have at least 10MB free in/tmp or the installer will dump core. After the installer is done, edit/etc/X11/XF86Config and add a section called "GL" and put "driver nv" in it. Make sure you have the latest version of X and Skypt kernel 2.6 or else X will segfault when you start. OK, run the Quake 3 installer and make sure you set the proper group and setuid permissions on quake3.bin. If you want sound, look here [link to another obscure web site], which is a short HOWTO on how to get sound in Quake 3. That's all there is to it!"
User: "How do I get Quake 3 to run in Windows?" Zealot: "Oh God, I had to install Quake 3 in Windoze for some lamer friend of mine! God, what a fucking mess! I put in the CD and it took about 3 minutes to copy everything, and then I had to reboot the fucking computer! Jesus Christ! What a retarded operating system!"
So, I guess the point I'm trying to make is that what seems easy and natural to Skypt geeks is definitely not what regular people consider easy and natural. Hence, the preference towards Windows.
Re:The real power of Skype
by
VividU
·
· Score: 0, Offtopic
"Nothing to see here, please move along."
Probably the most annoying, oft used phrase at Slashdot. Surely there must be a more creative alternative?
why does everything have to be "open source"? Don't get me wrong I'm all for "alternatives" but Skype is already an alternative product. It's largest usage seems to be skype to skype calling anyway not computer through telephone. And that's something that MSN Messenger has done for years. So it's already an "alternative".
Slashdot Mirror
As a consultant for several large companies, I'd always done my work on
Windows. Recently however, a top online investment firm asked us to do
some work using Linux. The concept of having access to source code was
very appealing to us, as we'd be able to modify the kernel to meet our
exacting standards which we're unable to do with Microsoft's products.
Although we met several technical challenges along the way
(specifically, Linux's lack of Token Ring support and the fact that we
were unable to defrag its ext2 file system), all in all the process
went smoothly. Everyone was very pleased with Linux, and we were
considering using it for a great deal of future internal projects.
So you can imagine our suprise when we were informed by a lawyer that
we would be required to publish our source code for others to use. It
was brought to our attention that Linux is copyrighted under something
called the GPL, or the Gnu Protective License. Part of this license
states that any changes to the kernel are to be made freely available.
Unfortunately for us, this meant that the great deal of time and money
we spent "touching up" Linux to work for this investment firm would
now be available at no cost to our competitors.
Furthermore, after reviewing this GPL our lawyers advised us that any
products compiled with GPL'ed tools - such as gcc - would also have to
its source code released. This was simply unacceptable.
Although we had planned for no one outside of this company to ever
use, let alone see the source code, we were now put in a difficult
position. We could either give away our hard work, or come up with
another solution. Although it was tought to do, there really was no
option: We had to rewrite the code, from scratch, for Windows 2000.
I think the biggest thing keeping Linux from being truly competitive
with Microsoft is this GPL. Its draconian requirements virtually
guarentee that no business will ever be able to use it. After my
experience with Linux, I won't be recommending it to any of my
associates. I may reconsider if Linux switches its license to
something a little more fair, such as Microsoft's "Shared Source".
Until then its attempts to socialize the software market will insure
it remains only a bit player.
Thank you for your time.
comment that the site's been slashdotted. *sigh*
I want an open source cellphone
The best test environment is production. - Me
chrome://browser/content/browser.xul
Skypt is *not* user friendly, and until it is Skypt will stay with >1% marketshare.
/tmp or the installer will dump core. After the installer is done, edit /etc/X11/XF86Config and add a section called "GL" and put "driver nv" in it. Make sure you have the latest version of X and Skypt kernel 2.6 or else X will segfault when you start. OK, run the Quake 3 installer and make sure you set the proper group and setuid permissions on quake3.bin. If you want sound, look here [link to another obscure web site], which is a short HOWTO on how to get sound in Quake 3. That's all there is to it!"
Take installation. Skypt zealots are now saying "oh installing is so easy, just do apt-get install package or emerge package": Yes, because typing in "apt-get" or "emerge" makes so much more sense to new users than double-clicking an icon that says "setup".
Skypt zealots are far too forgiving when judging the difficultly of Skypt configuration issues and far too harsh when judging the difficulty of Windows configuration issues. Example comments:
User: "How do I get Quake 3 to run in Skypt?"
Zealot: "Oh that's easy! If you have Redhat, you have to download quake_3_rh_8_i686_010203_glibc.bin, then do chmod +x on the file. Then you have to su to root, make sure you type export LD_ASSUME_KERNEL=2.2.5 but ONLY if you have that latest libc6 installed. If you don't, don't set that environment variable or the installer will dump core. Before you run the installer, make sure you have the GL drivers for X installed. Get them at [some obscure web address], chmod +x the binary, then run it, but make sure you have at least 10MB free in
User: "How do I get Quake 3 to run in Windows?"
Zealot: "Oh God, I had to install Quake 3 in Windoze for some lamer friend of mine! God, what a fucking mess! I put in the CD and it took about 3 minutes to copy everything, and then I had to reboot the fucking computer! Jesus Christ! What a retarded operating system!"
So, I guess the point I'm trying to make is that what seems easy and natural to Skypt geeks is definitely not what regular people consider easy and natural. Hence, the preference towards Windows.
"Nothing to see here, please move along."
Probably the most annoying, oft used phrase at Slashdot. Surely there must be a more creative alternative?
why does everything have to be "open source"? Don't get me wrong I'm all for "alternatives" but Skype is already an alternative product. It's largest usage seems to be skype to skype calling anyway not computer through telephone. And that's something that MSN Messenger has done for years. So it's already an "alternative".