Where Does Linux Go From Here?

With the success that Linux is currently enjoying Linux.com (also owned by SourceForge, Inc) asks the question, where do we go from here? With such a high level of success and greater corporate participation (on both the consumer and provider fronts) will the spirit of freedom and idealism remain true or will the ever-present corporate bottom line eventually take over? "Linux is surrounded by proprietary IT firms. Some of them view Linux as a profit maker, others as a threat to their profits. Both sides represent a challenge for Linux in holding to its ideals of freedom and openess. The first large IT firm to really grok Linux was IBM. It has a long and mutually beneficial association with Linux, Apache, and other FOSS projects. The company has learned the language and the mores of the FOSS world, and has made significant code contributions as part of those projects along the way."

Comments

Re:Same old, same old.

[Oliver Defacszio]

What's the big problem?

The problem is that's not a business. Who, in their right mind, would devote thousands of development hours cobbling something together, then cast it into the wind where basement developers use "what they want, and [get] rid of what they don't?" That's charity. I have no problem with the spirit of this OSS thing, but it's laughable to imagine that there's any kind of business potential in releasing things into the wild where they're instantly ripped apart as you've described.

I know, I know -- there are other ways to make money with Linux (something I feel isn't proven yet), but I keep seeing this expectation --and I don't put your post in that category, since you're just speculating-- that companies will be dying to do what you've suggested in your example. Unless they're either very stupid or very philanthropic, it will never happen. Idealism be damned -- a successful business cannot care what benefits everyone, unless it benefits them first.