May 9, 2007
open source is a religion
[Cartoon part of the Microsoft Blue Monster Series. Backstory from Steve and Kris etc.]
[Bonus link– William Hurley:] “Seven Reasons Why Microsoft Loves Open Source.”
[UPDATE– From JP Rangaswami:]
I agree vehemently with one thing William says. In reason 6, he makes the point
Microsoft doesn’t fear open source; it fears what the competition can do with it.This is true for all companies, and for all Because Effect infrastructure. By itself not to be feared (the With); yet feared for what your competitors can do with with (the Because Of).
The moral of the story is: As infrastructure moves from the “With” state to the “Because Of” state, make sure you move with it. Because if you don’t and your competitors do, you’re on the road to Toast.
[UPDATE– Jeff Atwood:]
As a software developer, you’re doing yourself a disservice by pledging allegiance to anything other than yourself and your craft– whether it’s Microsoft or the principle of free software. Stop with the us vs. them mentality. Let go of the partisanship. We’re all in this thing together.
Hehe. Microsoft’s sure gonna be tickled. Two questions:
1. Who’s going to hell? Folks who don’t believe in Open Source *as* a religion, or those who don’t think Open Source *is* a religion?
2. What happened to the good ol’ “Software is a tool, not a religion” etc?
The question is whether religion is open source.
Yehuda
Great cartoon. Sounds like the majority of OSS advocates I am friends with for sure.
I’m watching the bluemonster unfold at the edge of my seat.
Is it just a lipstick to the good old pig…
or if the blue monster going to touch M$ and make it a butterfly…
Waiting and watching!
–Balaji S.
This is bullshit along the lines of the old “open source is communism”-bullshit of Steve Ballmer.
The happy, non-religious, open source users far outnumber any kind of people you could be referring to with the smear above. That’s either stupid or wilfully hateful.
I find it interesting how the whole global microbrand thing (“let’s talk about stuff we think is great”) is completely crumbling under attack rhetoric in the case of your Microsoft account.
This is the old marketing dressed up as the new marketing. It still smells as bad.
You proved my point rather nicely, Claus
So let me get this straight: I can’t critisize your smear against open source because then I’m an open source bigot ?
Don’t be ridiculous.
I’m sure folks can figure out for themselves when comparing open source software with The Microsoft Way Vn.m which more resembles Creationism…oops, I mean “intelligent design” (a religion) and which evolution (a science).
Of course, we well remember from the excellent movie “Dogma” the marketing efforts resulting in “Catholicism Wow!” and “the Buddy Jesus”…new, hipper, friendlier…
Hey,
I have heard rumors that M$ programmers are banned from viewing opensource code. They are free to use the opensource software to their hearts content — but no code viewing. More like you can enjoy the aroma of food, but not taste it — what a bummer.
Guess the reason behind it is more technical than philosophical.
Yet, does Bluemonster change the situation in anyway? Not Invented Here syndrome is so old school. Religion or not, opensource cannot be wished away.
–Balaji S.
Brilliant! A new addition to my wall.
Dear Hugh,
I’d love to see a new cartoon illustrating this point:
“It’s hard to get a man to understand something, when his paycheck depends on him not understanding”
Great line, Phil.
A bit simplistic though, if you’re referring to my day job
“More like you can enjoy the aroma of food, but not taste it — what a bummer.”
A better analogy would be that a Microsoft programmer is a cook, and is unable to look at the recipe for delicious Open Source cake.
If true – I have no idea if it is or not – it would probably be because Microsoft isn’t interested in getting trapped by the GNU license. I know that Windows XP uses FreeBSD’s TCP stack code, but since FreeBSD is released under the BSD license (a far, far less restrictive license than GNU), Microsoft can legally snatch it.
I disagree hugh, just like the real church you would do well to separate sin and morality
Please make this a business card.
Cute, but… who is the one preaching here?
I suppose because the ROI argument isn’t working you are trying to make things a religious debate. Its a good strategy to generate conversation, I suppose, but it feels a little low brow for you Hugh.
Here’s something interesting to consider: Microsoft creates and contributes to the open source community. They fuck around with it quite a bit (nUnit, nAnt, Novell, etc) but they do participate and very much benefit from it.
Given that open source is how software gets build, and closed source is one way sofware can be sold… why not explore the relationship between the ideas of community collaboration and proprietary business? Ideas around the powerful developer community inside and outside of the Microsoft ecosystem.
Developers enable that company and this line of thinking pisses many of us off. It insults us and our work. Enough of the polarization bullshit. It’s not a black and white issue. Have some class and step it up a notch and effect some positive change.
The nonbelievers already dwell in a living Hell.
Not quite — freedom is a principle, and all the non-believers are selfish bastards.
(Of course, this includes the freedom to sell stuff you’ve made with restrictions on what the buyer can do with it once they’ve bought it; as well as the freedom to choose not to buy such stuff, which can come only with the understanding of what you’re getting yourself in for if you do buy it,)
Yes, jeff has the right words for our planet. We are all in this together.
I am an Open Source person.
I am a Free Software person.
I choose to believe in very simple values like freedom, and the sharing of knowledge.
In most circles that would make me an person with quite common beliefs.
In the MS-dominated software world it apparently makes me a zealot.
How odd.
@ Rick.
It might not make you a zealot. But judging from the way you write, “deluded idealist” works for me.
Forgive the comment necromancy, I saw this bit of hilariousness and thought of this entry of yours:
http://xkcd.com/c225.html
Marhaba!
Check this out!
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