Tech Show Best Of Compilation

[Patrick]

The RMS interview was classic.

"You are confused!"

[Wally Balljacker]

I agree with Linc though, you really can't make money writing Free software. There are a few exceptions of course, but for the most part, if you're a programmer, and you want to earn a living, it's really not an option. (I doubt BashPodder pays the bills) I happen to believe in capitalism, and I think there's plenty of room for proprietary and open source software in the world.

*Awaits Troels response that it's entirely possible to live off writing Free software*

[snarkout]

Whether it's possible or not, the world has prooven over and over it's willing to take without giving back, so perhaps it's better to not plan on making your riches directly from your open source software. Now, that being said, I think it's fair to say several good hackers have developed some wonderful software that got them attention and that attention resulted in job offers. THAT being said, while I believe that open source is awesome, I also don't consider free software even slightly as important as genuine liberty - that's where RMS completely loses me. As far as I can tell, he thinks closed software is some sort of human rights transgression on par with systematic genocide (well, OK, maybe that's an extreme example, but you get my drift), and I can't follow him down that road.

I'll also say that, for the record, while I don't care for our current government administration, referring to life in the USA as anything approaching living under fascism or totalitarianism is insanely naive and back asswards. While some of our petty freedoms have certainly been eroded since 9/11, and personally I find that distasteful, we live such privileged lives here compared to much of the rest of the world (in general) it sometimes boggles the mind.

/unintentional rant

[Tsuroerusu]

I agree with Linc though, you really can't make money writing Free software. There are a few exceptions of course, but for the most part, if you're a programmer, and you want to earn a living, it's really not an option. (I doubt BashPodder pays the bills) I happen to believe in capitalism, and I think there's plenty of room for proprietary and open source software in the world.

*Awaits Troels response that it's entirely possible to live off writing Free software*

When people talk about "selling software" they really mean "selling a license to use", you are not selling as in exchanging the ownership of the program for money. Free software is all about free redistribution (As in no restriction), so you can't restrict people from just sharing the copy they got from you with their neighbor.
You absolutely can make a living doing free software, but just not in exactly the same way as with proprietary software. Proprietary software business models are typically about restricting the use of a program to people who pays you a license fee, with free software that concept is just non existant, so you have to figure out another way to do it.
Red Hat generates income by charging for services and support around free software, that business model is known to work, maybe not for everybody (Hint, dotcom boom), but it has worked for many, heck it played a huge role in saved Sun's ass.
As Richard Stallman has pointed out, most of the programming jobs in the world is about making custom software for people who come to you and say "I need a program to do this and that, what will you charge to make it?". Well, in that environment you could just give them the binary, and practically make it proprietary, or you could give them the source code, and thereby it's free software, and then tell them "We are giving you the source code and all the rights associated with it, so you have the freedom to do this and that", sure they could go to some other vendor, but if you as a corporation do a good job, they probably stick around.

These are just two common ways. My point is, you can't make money off of free software by using the same methods as with proprietary software, but that doesn't mean you can't make money off of free software at all. I probably can't make a living as a pilot the same way I could by being a journalist, because what news paper needs writers to fly planes?

[Vogateer]

I'll also say that, for the record, while I don't care for our current government administration, referring to life in the USA as anything approaching living under fascism or totalitarianism is insanely naive and back asswards. While some of our petty freedoms have certainly been eroded since 9/11, and personally I find that distasteful, we live such privileged lives here compared to much of the rest of the world (in general) it sometimes boggles the mind.

I do worry about civil liberties being slowly chipped away, but fully agree with your sentiment in the previous post.

[btyson]

I threw together a little compilation of some of my favorite TLLTS moments./

Another good memory is the "Windows" episode (no.77)!