Author: JT Smith
Byte.com’s Moshe Bar has written an article about using spare Linux boxes and wireless LAN equipment to create a free neighborhood wireless data network. There’s also a fair portion of well-written commentary about the state of the Open Source business model. Bar: ”
There is little doubt by now that the Open Source business model
(and with it Linux in large part) is becoming a liability for many
companies. Let’s face it, with VA Linux going into proprietary
technology, Great Bridge (a company built around the GNU Postgres
database) going out of business, and SuSE needing an emergency
capital infusion from IBM to survive, it has become clear that
companies cannot make money (real money) from selling software
that you can download for free from the Internet. Especially not in
today’s moribund high-tech market.” VA Linux is the parent company of OSDN and NewsForge.
There is little doubt by now that the Open Source business model
(and with it Linux in large part) is becoming a liability for many
companies. Let’s face it, with VA Linux going into proprietary
technology, Great Bridge (a company built around the GNU Postgres
database) going out of business, and SuSE needing an emergency
capital infusion from IBM to survive, it has become clear that
companies cannot make money (real money) from selling software
that you can download for free from the Internet. Especially not in
today’s moribund high-tech market.” VA Linux is the parent company of OSDN and NewsForge.
