| From: | Brett Borger <bxb121@***.EDU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: "Free" Software (was: Euro question) |
| Date: | Fri, 1 May 1998 11:34:33 +0000 |
it into shadowrun.
> laws of the land. If Microsoft weren't restricted by those laws,
> Linux would be dead.
I'll debate this more. Below.
> The megas would never let Linux get to the point where it is now.
> They'd nip it in the bud - "Hey, I hear XX has developed a new OS
> with some possibility of promise! If we can't have it, no one can."
This assumes they hear of it. While normally corps R&D depts and
Intel depts are supposed to be well-informed, they spend their time
and money looking at each other. Something the developed as Linux
did wouldn't have promise at first, except in the eyes of the
original developer (I'm seeing Linus as decker with a penguin icon
:)) One or two revisions by the devloper and a few others interested
in the challenge or the possibility, and suddenly it's chock full of
potential and performance. So you pass budding. On to the next
stage...
> OS, and those that did wouldn't be able to do much. If they develop
> in secret (very difficult, unless you're the only one working on it,
> and you're not connected to the net), then it's no threat. If they
> then release it simultaneously everywhere, Mega #1 ties things up
> legally while Mega #2 writes virii to combat the OS directly, while
> Mega #3 kills the author(s) to discourage further development.
Well, I'd say the in secret wouldn't be so hard, as the corps don't
look to the public areas too much for secrets...and if they do, they
don't look for public domain secrets. But let's just assume that it
does get developed so I can discuss your next argument.
Mega #1 ties things up legally.....where? There is no legal entity
responsible for the new system...thousands of owners (no doubt a ton
of them shadow deckers anyway, the rest all hardcore geeks) crossing
national and corporate boundries.
Mega #2 writes a virus: Okay, I'll accept that. But then all those
hardcore geeks take it as a direct challenge (never rile a geek...).
Either they fail to beat the virus, or they succeed. This then
stands as a testimony to the new systems power, and further
entrenches it among the geeks, not to mention a few "minor" geeks.
Mega 2 just helped any system that survives the assault.
Mega #3 kills the authors. Okay, poor Linus is toast. But the
system now has thousands of authors and developers...Linus has
already done his part. Sure, some of them will be scared enough to
back away, but all? Most? Enough?
In addition, how many Mega's are going to seriously consider any new
system a threat until it proves that it can be one? MS has been
working on forcing people to be dependant on their system, not
targeting other systems specifically. MS can write anti-Linux
viruses without getting caught. Legally? Hasn't even tried. Mega's
watch the bottom line, and there's no profit in quashing every
two-bit system that might come around...just the ones that have
potential to harm. And it's quite possible that that hasn't happened
yet (after all, you need some rare conditions to come up with this:
Talented developers who are willing to sacrifice all the potential
money involved.) I'd say it remains an unlikely (because of those
conditions) but purely possible situation in SR.
Others?
-=SwiftOne=-
Brett Borger
SwiftOne@***.edu
AAP Techie
