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Economist's Take On Open Source Development

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the big-brother's-hayday dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Economist Dean Baker outlines alternative funding mechanisms for software development in a new report called "Opening Doors and Smashing Windows" [PDF Warning], available at the Center for Economic and Policy Research. One proposal is to create a US government-funded Software Development Corps of public software corporations, which compete and produce only free and open source software. Baker estimates that through the resulting lower prices in software and computers, the government would recoup its annual $2 billion appropriation to the program and US consumers would save $80-120 billion each year -- all while 20,000 software developers are supported to work specifically on open source projects."

18 of 416 comments (clear)

  1. Typical Slashdot Response by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "No, because then the government would order programmers to create an open source intelligent design simulator."

    1. Re:Typical Slashdot Response by Red+Alastor · · Score: 4, Funny
      "No, because then the government would order programmers to create an open source intelligent design simulator."
      That's okay. We'll fork it into a Flying Spagetti Monster simulator.
      --
      Slashdot anagrams to "Sad Sloth"
  2. Re:You know, there was a time... by GenKreton · · Score: 2, Funny
    Socialistic programming. We could all bunch up in our own little socialist cities, with public funds paying for heat, electricity, and our own segways!

    Used to be a time we'd go to war against things such as this communistic/socialistic ideal....

    I guess it is a good thing we don't war against great ideas such as these still then, huh?

  3. No, I don't see MS opposing this at all by RLiegh · · Score: 3, Funny

    See subject for sarcasm.

  4. Mass Slashdot Reaction by greginnj · · Score: 2, Funny
    US consumers would save $80-120 billion each year -- all while 20,000 software developers are supported to work specifically on open source projects.
    ... and FEMA faces a new flooding disaster as 50,000 Slashdot readers simultaneously wet themselves in excitement.
    --
    Read the best of all of Slash: seenonslash.com
  5. RPG by HermanAB · · Score: 2, Funny

    So what the hell is a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) community? Sounds distinctly middle eastern...

    --
    Oh well, what the hell...
    1. Re:RPG by Daniel+Dvorkin · · Score: 2, Funny

      "I used to think D&D was cool, but then I found out this gets me much more respect than my original mint condition Dungeon Master's Guide ever did!"

      --
      The correlation between ignorance of statistics and using "correlation is not causation" as an argument is close to 1.
  6. Re:The Ransom model is cool by Daniel+Dvorkin · · Score: 2, Funny

    What genius is going to "donate" money for some software that hasn't been released yet?

    Anyone who pays programmers. Think about it.

    --
    The correlation between ignorance of statistics and using "correlation is not causation" as an argument is close to 1.
  7. Re:Accelerate that slashdottin'! by Seumas · · Score: 3, Funny

    Poor Bastards? The Economist?

    Am I the onlny one who got the pun?

  8. Re:I Love the DMV! by Clover_Kicker · · Score: 2, Funny

    If I was trying to make a serious point, this would be the absolute last place I would try to make it.

    If you like I can smartass your argument too, i.e. which of the bloated, profiteering, hated oil companies is getting replaced by lean, mean companies that are preferred by customers?

  9. Already happening by msbsod · · Score: 3, Funny

    Since Linux came out almost 15 years ago I have seen so many students wasting their time on writing Linux software instead of finishing their thesis. Bad strategy.

  10. Re:You know, there was a time... by rjshields · · Score: 2, Funny
    Used to be a time we'd go to war against things such as this communistic/socialistic ideal....
    I didn't realise you needed a reason to go to war, I thought any old excuse would do, e.g. "War Against Terror", "Weapons of Mass Destruction".
    --
    In this world nothing is certain but death, taxes and flawed car analogies.
  11. Re:Bad math... by TechnologyX · · Score: 1, Funny

    Probably the same thing I do in meta-moderation to those who meta-moderate down anyone who mods up those who ask to be modded down.

    --
    Slashdot sucks
  12. Re:The Ransom model is cool by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    You make the software I want and if I like it, I'll buy it from you with cash. If you don't make the software I want or I don't like it, I won't buy it and will keep my cash. That's the true ransom model.

    Dude, you just described capitalism.

    Are you saying capitalism is like holding people for ransom?

    What. A. Fucking. Communist.

  13. Re:The money should go to prostitutes! by IdleTime · · Score: 2, Funny

    Since this is /. I'd say the spread is like this:
    87% will chose OSS
    3% will scream very loudly OSX THANK YOU!
    9% will ask "What is a blowjob?"
    1% will give the right answer

    --
    If you mod me down, I *will* introduce you to my sister!
  14. government code by ShaunC1000 · · Score: 2, Funny

    source code released by the government would probably have a lot of black lines though it.

  15. Re:The Ransom model is cool - Not so by bsartist · · Score: 2, Funny

    Can you imagine if there was a guy on the street corner with a guitar, completely still, with a sign that said, "give me a dollar and I'll start playing"?

    Some of 'em would do a better if they had a sign that said "give me a dollar and I'll stop playing."

    --
    Lost: Sig, white with black letters. No collar. Reward if found!
  16. Re:Nice but... by dasunt · · Score: 2, Funny
    Yeah, absolutely! And that DARPANet thing? Total bureaucratic government waste. Never went anywhere. Stupid long-haired hippie socialists, with their dumb ideas about standardized protocols and decentralized networks. Fortunately, that failed like all wasteful government programs, and we now operate on computer networks such as Compuserve, Prodigy, and GEnie developed and run by the free-market genius of efficient private enterprise.

    Even a blind cat occasionally finds a mouse.

    DARPANet was created to solve a problem. It was extremely successful.

    Most government projects don't reach that level of success.