DH Editorial: Pete's Open Source Journal

Zardon · Feb 5, 2005, 05:47 PM

Throughout 2005 staff member Panagiotis "Kombatant" Vagiakos will be writing articles based around open source and will be sharing his views and opinions on various matters.

His first entry is online and makes for interesting reading, its entitled "Open Source – more of a reality than many people realize"

you can read this here

germanjulian · Feb 5, 2005, 07:18 PM

nice one mate

No_Style · Feb 5, 2005, 08:49 PM

I love your introduction paragraph. In fact I like how the whole premise is not about Windows vs Linux, but application choices. Great read.

Necrosis · Feb 5, 2005, 10:12 PM

Very good read, and I couldn't agree more. I've been experimenting with Linux for the past three weeks. Never was happy with my previous results, but as you can tell in the main Linux form I'm a happy camper!

bananaman · Feb 5, 2005, 11:31 PM

excellent read! Have been using Firefox for what seems like an age now and dont believe i have never heard of GIMP before - have just tried it out and so far seems great! Thanks very much for the introduction

Looking forward to reading this new series of articles

rgds

nana

Chaos · Feb 6, 2005, 12:22 AM

nice job man, I also use Firefox and Thunderbird and always am looking for alternative apps to check out

DirtyRussian · Feb 6, 2005, 02:26 AM

Very nice article. As No_Style has pointed out, this article is not about Lin vs. Win, but about the best application to use. Gread read, keep 'em coming.

redsolar · Feb 6, 2005, 03:50 AM

Ah, the beauty of open source. Now if only the drivers were up to scale, Windows would become ... just another choice

.

Panagiotis, you are the man!

mkk · Feb 6, 2005, 04:33 AM

Gotta love Open Office.

I honestly can't remember when I had an MS-Office application installed on my own system. And that they also release localised versions of the Windows client it certainly helps when trying to get friends and relatives to use Open Office too. It's not just about the money either.

WaltC · Feb 6, 2005, 06:44 AM

I don't know about you guys, but of all the software I have installed at home running on Windows I'd say that 90% of it isn't software written and licensed by Microsoft--but by other commercial software companies. Just like Firefox, those programs also are written to run under Windows, too--but just like Microsoft's programs, these programs are not Open Source, either. I really think it's time that we do away with the myth that the only company on earth writing commercial software is Microsoft, don't you? Somehow, for some reason, when it comes to software companies selling software, the only company contrasted with Open Source is Microsoft. But of course that simply isn't the case at all, as the international commercial software business is a multiple-billion-dollar-a-year business of which Microsoft is a fractional part...

IBM, for instance, makes billions per year selling its Linux-based solutions and software services among many other things--so do SUN, Apple--etc. ad infinitum. None of these companies "Open Sources" their most prominent wares. They sell them of course--not only so that they can develop better software as time moves on, but also so that they can eat.

As for FireFox specifically, I like it and presently use it as my default browser--but not for the sake of security--because to be honest I simply cannot recall the last virus or trojan I contracted from the 'net simply because I was using Windows. I like to run FF because it's different from IE, and I like variety--and also, I suppose because the cost is so appealing, as I paid for FireFox exactly what I paid to run IE...

The funny thing about the whole "security" alarmism that I'm seeing today is that while the number and frequency of alarmist security reports I see on the Internet almost daily now has increased a thousand fold in the last couple of years, the number of security problems I've had with IE has remained static at 0...

Yep, for security problems encountered in my systems at home, it's a tie ballgame--FireFox 0, IE 0.

Anyway, when companies like SUN and and IBM and Apple start quaking in their boots because of a runaway mass adoption of Open Source software (falling from the heavens like manna, of course, and written by angelic but otherwise unknown beings) which begins to threaten their businesses--well, then I might just be able to believe that M$ is worried, too. But I don't see any evidence of that happening, or any real trends in that direction, so...

But what's cool is that Open Source is certainly getting talked about more and more each day, even if the percentage of its routine use in the general market is still well below that enjoyed by Apple. So maybe Pete should consider renaming his column something like "Pete's Journal of all the Cool Stuff People are Saying about Open Source"...

?

I'm an eternal Open Source skeptic simply because I was raised on the idea that there are no free lunches, and nothing about "Open Source" as it is often portrayed these days has convinced me that now's a good time to start believing in free lunches. Somebody, somewhere, *always* pays the tab--and just because they want to lure you in with a "freebie" doesn't mean freebies in perpetuity, does it? But the idea of "something for nothing" has been sucker bait in every economy in the world's history at one time or another, hasn't it?

I think a very good litmus test for Open Source software is this: how much would it be worth to you if you had to pay for it? The only answer that counts there is an honest one. Answer that one, and then it becomes no problem to see why people still choose to buy their software when it comes time to do so.

Last, when Open Source goes wrong with either so-called security problems or just plain bugs--who do you look to--specifically--for redress? Who's going to fix it--and when--and how--are just a few of the good questions that need to be addressed whenever the subject of Open Source is raised, imo.

RIV@NVX · Feb 6, 2005, 12:48 PM

Great article. It's really nice to see someone liking and writing about open source software and DriverHeaven being open to articles of that kind.

Spyro124 · Feb 6, 2005, 02:53 PM

Nice read, interesting to see something about open source that isn't really biased but just giving alternative options.

I like the idea of Open source, I'm using Firefox right now, but i don't dislike IE, actually i started to like it more again after SP2, but also I have nothing against closed source and ppl that are making money for their products that they coded.

But to be honest, I for one am very skeptical about Open source, not about the fact that everyone can read and adjust the code, but more because i'm with WaltC on this that there aren't any free things in this world, there is always a catch.

My opinion is that when Open Source is gaining much more ground the concept will probably change and maybe it will not be as free as it is right now.

Matth · Feb 6, 2005, 08:47 PM

The commercial models associated with open source, are m#normally associated with paying for "extras"...

Support services, boxed versions with neatly bound manuals and so on

Other than the purest "goodness of the heart" freeware, there has to be some funding, and donations are usually few and far between ... Targetted donation drives may do a little better, but if the atmosphere is "you use it, you must donate", then it damages the freeware credentials, becoming really shareware with a cheapskate's getout.

*CATALYST maker* · Feb 7, 2005, 09:22 PM

Great article Pete. It made me go download all the applications you talked about on my test machine.

Congratulations on your new column, I am sure it will be of the highest quality!

Saint_K · Feb 8, 2005, 04:48 PM

nice read

pr0digal jenius · Feb 8, 2005, 05:04 PM

excellent article/column

Feb 5, 2005, 05:47 PM	#1
Zardon DriverHeaven Founder Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 32,480 Rep Power: 179	DH Editorial: Pete's Open Source Journal Throughout 2005 staff member Panagiotis "Kombatant" Vagiakos will be writing articles based around open source and will be sharing his views and opinions on various matters. His first entry is online and makes for interesting reading, its entitled "Open Source – more of a reality than many people realize" you can read this here

Feb 5, 2005, 07:18 PM	#2
germanjulian Back in London Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: London Posts: 1,797 Rep Power: 0	nice one mate __________________ /\|\ Asus P5W DH Deluxe, Intel C2D E6600, 2GB Corsair XMS2-6400C4 DDR2, E-VGA GeForce 7800 GT, Creative X-Fi Extreme Music, 500GB Seagate 7200.10 SATA, Lian Li PC-V1100 Aluminum Case Black, etc. http://germanjulian.com /\|\

Feb 5, 2005, 08:49 PM	#3
No_Style Styleless Wonder Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ottawa, Ontario Posts: 6,034 Rep Power: 0	I love your introduction paragraph. In fact I like how the whole premise is not about Windows vs Linux, but application choices. Great read. __________________ "The Best Style Is No Style" Specifications Here

Feb 5, 2005, 11:31 PM	#5
bananaman banana muncher Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: London Posts: 1,254 Rep Power: 64	excellent read! Have been using Firefox for what seems like an age now and dont believe i have never heard of GIMP before - have just tried it out and so far seems great! Thanks very much for the introduction Looking forward to reading this new series of articles rgds nana __________________

Feb 6, 2005, 12:22 AM	#6
Chaos Number Nine Join Date: May 2002 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 5,268 Rep Power: 167 System Specs	nice job man, I also use Firefox and Thunderbird and always am looking for alternative apps to check out __________________

Feb 5, 2005, 10:12 PM	#4
Necrosis HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 8,838 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	Very good read, and I couldn't agree more. I've been experimenting with Linux for the past three weeks. Never was happy with my previous results, but as you can tell in the main Linux form I'm a happy camper!

Feb 6, 2005, 02:26 AM	#7
DirtyRussian DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 80 Rep Power: 0	Very nice article. As No_Style has pointed out, this article is not about Lin vs. Win, but about the best application to use. Gread read, keep 'em coming.

Feb 6, 2005, 03:50 AM	#8
redsolar Off duty Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Las Vegas, USA Posts: 1,242 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Ah, the beauty of open source. Now if only the drivers were up to scale, Windows would become ... just another choice . Panagiotis, you are the man! __________________ Real_Men_Do_Not_Use_Space_Bar Main rig: Intel Core i7 930 @ 4.0 Ghz \| Corsair H50 Push/Pull \| 12GB OCZ DDR3 \| ASUS Radeon HD 5850 \| 3x 1TB Samsung F3 RAID5 on Dell PERC 5i SAS + 1TB Hitachi \| MSI X58 Pro-e \| 850W Antec Truepower Quattro \| RocketFish by Lian Li Full Tower Case \| Gateway XHD3000 30" LCD \| Dell 2408WFP 24" LCD \| Dell 2407WFP 24" LCD \| Logitech Z-5500 Speakers \| Windows 7 Ultimate x64 Laptop: Samsung x360-34P \| Core 2 Duo SU9400 1.4 GHz \| 4GB DDR3 \| 128GB Samsung SSD \| Intel 4500M w/ HDMI \| WiFi \| Bluetooth \| 13.3" WLED 1280x800 \| Windows 7 Professional x64

Feb 6, 2005, 04:33 AM	#9
mkk Cthulhu/Dagon 2012 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Gefle, Sweden Posts: 4,495 Rep Power: 132 System Specs	Gotta love Open Office. I honestly can't remember when I had an MS-Office application installed on my own system. And that they also release localised versions of the Windows client it certainly helps when trying to get friends and relatives to use Open Office too. It's not just about the money either.

Feb 6, 2005, 06:44 AM	#10
WaltC DriverHeaven Addict Join Date: May 2003 Location: Deep in Martian soil where it's warm and the air is good Posts: 245 Rep Power: 0	I don't know about you guys, but of all the software I have installed at home running on Windows I'd say that 90% of it isn't software written and licensed by Microsoft--but by other commercial software companies. Just like Firefox, those programs also are written to run under Windows, too--but just like Microsoft's programs, these programs are not Open Source, either. I really think it's time that we do away with the myth that the only company on earth writing commercial software is Microsoft, don't you? Somehow, for some reason, when it comes to software companies selling software, the only company contrasted with Open Source is Microsoft. But of course that simply isn't the case at all, as the international commercial software business is a multiple-billion-dollar-a-year business of which Microsoft is a fractional part... IBM, for instance, makes billions per year selling its Linux-based solutions and software services among many other things--so do SUN, Apple--etc. ad infinitum. None of these companies "Open Sources" their most prominent wares. They sell them of course--not only so that they can develop better software as time moves on, but also so that they can eat. As for FireFox specifically, I like it and presently use it as my default browser--but not for the sake of security--because to be honest I simply cannot recall the last virus or trojan I contracted from the 'net simply because I was using Windows. I like to run FF because it's different from IE, and I like variety--and also, I suppose because the cost is so appealing, as I paid for FireFox exactly what I paid to run IE... The funny thing about the whole "security" alarmism that I'm seeing today is that while the number and frequency of alarmist security reports I see on the Internet almost daily now has increased a thousand fold in the last couple of years, the number of security problems I've had with IE has remained static at 0... Yep, for security problems encountered in my systems at home, it's a tie ballgame--FireFox 0, IE 0. Anyway, when companies like SUN and and IBM and Apple start quaking in their boots because of a runaway mass adoption of Open Source software (falling from the heavens like manna, of course, and written by angelic but otherwise unknown beings) which begins to threaten their businesses--well, then I might just be able to believe that M$ is worried, too. But I don't see any evidence of that happening, or any real trends in that direction, so... But what's cool is that Open Source is certainly getting talked about more and more each day, even if the percentage of its routine use in the general market is still well below that enjoyed by Apple. So maybe Pete should consider renaming his column something like "Pete's Journal of all the Cool Stuff People are Saying about Open Source"... ? I'm an eternal Open Source skeptic simply because I was raised on the idea that there are no free lunches, and nothing about "Open Source" as it is often portrayed these days has convinced me that now's a good time to start believing in free lunches. Somebody, somewhere, always pays the tab--and just because they want to lure you in with a "freebie" doesn't mean freebies in perpetuity, does it? But the idea of "something for nothing" has been sucker bait in every economy in the world's history at one time or another, hasn't it? I think a very good litmus test for Open Source software is this: how much would it be worth to you if you had to pay for it? The only answer that counts there is an honest one. Answer that one, and then it becomes no problem to see why people still choose to buy their software when it comes time to do so. Last, when Open Source goes wrong with either so-called security problems or just plain bugs--who do you look to--specifically--for redress? Who's going to fix it--and when--and how--are just a few of the good questions that need to be addressed whenever the subject of Open Source is raised, imo.

Feb 6, 2005, 12:48 PM	#11
RIV@NVX Freedom is a feature. Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Croatia, Rijeka Posts: 4,476 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Great article. It's really nice to see someone liking and writing about open source software and DriverHeaven being open to articles of that kind. __________________ -- Vedran

Feb 6, 2005, 02:53 PM	#12
Spyro124 DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Netherlands Posts: 120 Rep Power: 0	Nice read, interesting to see something about open source that isn't really biased but just giving alternative options. I like the idea of Open source, I'm using Firefox right now, but i don't dislike IE, actually i started to like it more again after SP2, but also I have nothing against closed source and ppl that are making money for their products that they coded. But to be honest, I for one am very skeptical about Open source, not about the fact that everyone can read and adjust the code, but more because i'm with WaltC on this that there aren't any free things in this world, there is always a catch. My opinion is that when Open Source is gaining much more ground the concept will probably change and maybe it will not be as free as it is right now. __________________ My Computer stats: AMD64 3200+ Asus A8V Deluxe PNY 6800 GT 2x 512MB Kingston Value Ram pc3200 1x 60GB WD and 1x 74 Gig WD Raptor Dell 1704FP TFT Last edited by Spyro124; Feb 6, 2005 at 02:58 PM.

Feb 6, 2005, 08:47 PM	#13
Matth Flash Banner Hater Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: UK Posts: 3,426 Rep Power: 93 System Specs	The commercial models associated with open source, are m#normally associated with paying for "extras"... Support services, boxed versions with neatly bound manuals and so on Other than the purest "goodness of the heart" freeware, there has to be some funding, and donations are usually few and far between ... Targetted donation drives may do a little better, but if the atmosphere is "you use it, you must donate", then it damages the freeware credentials, becoming really shareware with a cheapskate's getout.

Feb 7, 2005, 09:22 PM	#14
CATALYST maker ATI driver guru Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: ATI, Canada Posts: 678 Rep Power: 63	Great article Pete. It made me go download all the applications you talked about on my test machine. Congratulations on your new column, I am sure it will be of the highest quality!

Feb 8, 2005, 04:48 PM	#15
Saint_K InSaNe Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Den haag, netherlands Posts: 836 Rep Power: 0	nice read

Feb 8, 2005, 05:04 PM	#16
pr0digal jenius Delete Me Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 14,648 Rep Power: 0	excellent article/column