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Re: [News] Who Doesn't Contribute to Open Source?

__/ [ Mathew P. ] on Sunday 07 May 2006 09:02 \__

> On 2006-05-06, Roy Schestowitz spake thusly:
>> __/ [ Mathew P. ] on Saturday 06 May 2006 09:12 \__
>>
>>> On 2006-05-06, Roy Schestowitz spake thusly:
>>>> Open Source: Who Takes But Doesn't Give Back?
> 
>   ------------------8<-------------------
> 
>>
http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2006/05/open_source_who.html
>>> 
>>> So they are perfectly willing to enjoy the benefits of the GPL, but
>>> refuse to contribute on old "intellectual property" fallback? I hate to
>>> use the term, but hypocrite comes to mind.
>>
>> May  I  suggest the term "capitalisation"? Companies that  build  powerful
>> software,  standing on the shoulders of giants, fear the release of  their
>> business 'recipes' that put them in a position of advantage. Google is one
>> example  that  comes  to mind and I still think they ought  to  contribute
>> _MORE_  to  the  Open Source community. I don't expect them to  GPL  their
>> algorithms  (that  will  be  absurd for a brand that  was  IPO'd).  I  do,
>> however, think that they should realise that Linux on the desktop is their
>> friend.  Windows Vista is intended to fight Google very viciously, so long
>> as the courts don't crucify it (the hum has reached the US Feds and the EU
>> already).
>>
>> Best wishes,
>>
>> Roy
> 
> I should clarify; I was speaking more to those companies that have used
> OSS heavily in their day to day operations, and are making mony off of
> it. I don't expect them to give away their secret recipe of 13 herbs
> and spices, but I also think it's pretty chicken doo-doo of them to
> not contribute to OSS on the basis of "it's now integrated into our
> company, we paid for it, and we don't have to give back anything. It's
> our intellectual property".

Right. I see your point now. So it's more about companies that use Apache,
for example, for an entire decade without ever injecting a donation or
monetary funds that would further support the developers. Makes perfect
sense to me.

Best wishes,

Roy

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