Re: Support of open-source software by business

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

> I've been wondering if business support for open-source software ---
> from IBM, for example --- is really an effort to spread knowledge and
> thus lower costs of white-collar programmers.  Any studies of this?
>
> Bill

I haven't heard this myself. When I was being trained in Java by a
consultant at Columbia about a year ago, I heard the open-source gospel but
never suspected that this would be an issue. Open source technology
requires a much higher level of technical competence than shrink-wrapped
software from Microsoft or other vendors. We find ourselves being
frustrated at almost every turn by inadequate documentation, glitches that
are a function of cross-platform incompatibility, etc. Frankly, although I
have affinities for the open-source philosophy as a socialist, I am still
rather susceptible to the kind of ease-of-use you get from Sybase,
Microsoft, Oracle and other application builder vendors.


Louis Proyect, Marxism mailing list: http://www.marxmail.org