[variant]

Google Inc open source programs manager Chris DiBona said the search giant has stuck with Linux throughout the company's life, in part, because it was unhappy with the terms of another software company.

The future is bright, the future is - a black and white penguin...

Full story:http://www.cbronline.com/article_new...3-758193AE36BF

[Agent-X]

http://www.cbronline.com/article_new...ck for article

Yay, i hate copy,paste,enter.[/url]

[Agent-X]

I feel like a stupid newb now, but interesting article none the less.

What seems very interesting here is the use of the public's open-source vs. the government and industrie's usage of their own types of operating systems.

I'm figuring since the government can plant the manpower and money elsewhere just like companies do, they will use open-source to their advantage, because it's free.

This is when I feel as though the public is being used because it was made for the general public who often doesn't like paying for things. The government and congress has loads of cash, along with big businesses. I don't mind businesses having linux because they have the ability to get cracked often, like the government. But the government has enough power to build their OS.

[Lockick]

But you see agent-x, the average person does have 100 dollars to spend on windows. I'm sure most the the population could with some effort by a windows cd. But the government has to buy operating systems for thousands of computers. 1000 * $100 plus the expense of hardware makes linux a very economical solution. The government can't just throw around money, although they usually do. The money they save buying linux instead of windows should go right back to the people, although I admit that it rarely does.

Also governments often need to change their computers to different specifications. Propritary software like windows makes this virtually impossible, but with open source software they can change their operating system and other software without fear of legal reprecusions.

Do I understand you correctly when you say that they have the resources to make their own operating system? My good friend, rule number 1. Don't reinvent the wheel. Why build their own operating system when linux is right there and it's exactly what they want.

[celem]

Originally Posted by Agent-X

... The government and congress has loads of cash, along with big businesses.....

Just for the record, the government has NO cash! That's your money so be thankful for those RARE occasions when the government actually attempts to spend some of your money wisely.