It’s The Little Group

by Zef Hemel

Microsoft guy: “Hey, I’m John Something from Microsoft, who are you?”
You: “I’m your worst nightmare.”

Sounds like your ultimate dream scenario? Yes? How sad are you, really? Did you like doing that when you were in kindergarten? “No, I won’t play with you, because… because… you stink!”

I watched a documentary Revolution OS a couple of days ago. It’s about Linux and how open source got started. The documentary starts out just like this entry does. The anecdote is told by Eric S. Raymond. If you know a little about the open source community, you must know Eric Raymond. He’s the guy that started the Open Source Initiative.

Have you ever had that feeling: you totally love this singer. He or she makes the greatest music and has the best voice you’ve ever heard. You love this person. Until he or she starts talking… You’ve never known somebody so ignorant, never heard somebody say such dumb things. Good that they can sing, because obviously, they can’t do anything else. It’s amazing how many of my favourite artists are total morons. My new strategy is that if there’s this new artist I like, I consistently ignore all interviews with this person that pop up. Believe me, it’s for the best.

In this case, it’s kind of like that. I mean, I like open source and I think it’s good that it’s here. But please, please let those “major” open source advocates shut up. “I’m your worst night mare.” Gosh, grow up! How low can you go? It’s because of people like this that I don’t like to be associated with the open source community. “Open source? Isn’t that a group of nerds that act like…”

Open source nerds

It’s the little group that spoils it for the rest.

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4 Commenti

  1. There are always aberrant elements in any big enough group. Outliners, just ignore them.

    (Microsoft herself is one of the finest examples of that. Want is the chance that a big co like IBM bends over just at the right moment, just far enough, to let a two-bit nobody (with only vaporware to sell) make this big a score? Really exceptional, never going to happen again.)

    Open source is just the commodification of software. Proprietary had it 15 minutes in the limelight. It’s over. Exit. it’s time to move on.

    (Translation: Nobody is going to pay you a 80% profit margin anymore.)

    But it’s not such a big deal, it’s just business moving on.

    They really shouldn’t make such a fuss about it.

    #1 Gideon

  2. I agree with you Zef. The anti-microsoft attitude is simply childish and unprofessional. I also believe it is a lot of teenagers who act like that. Those teenagers that just downloaded some GNU/Linux distribution, think it is so cool, but use Windows and other Microsoft products most of the time.

    I like opensource, I like Linux, I like BSD, I don’t always like windows or other microsoft products. But the truth is that Microsoft has obviously done something good.

    I do believe though that the GNU/Linux systems and opensource software is becomming more professional. I don’t think you have to worry about being associated with the revolting teenages (or people who got stuck in that age). The people who understand a little bit about what is going on will know the difference.

    #2 Jacob

  3. Check out this link: http://due-diligence.typepad.com/blog/2004/09/be_careful_what.html it’s about the link between open source and outsourcing (hint: it’s commod… ;) )

    #3 Gideon

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