Why Free Software and Open Source can never reconcile

harishankar.org

2 points·harishankar··4 comments

Why Free Software and Open Source cannot reconcile the differences: because the principles and goals are fundamentally different and incompatible with each other.

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That's a nice essay.

I believe you missed a "point of importance and ultimate goal" of the open source movement: to preserve and enhance the market for proprietary software.

On that goal, free software and open source are diametrically opposed.

Thanks. I believe that ESR himself denies this view. But a lot of OSS supporters are of the view that the enemy is Free Software and not Closed Source/Proprietary software.

By the way, I wrote that essay purely dispassionately and without trying to favour either view. Just presented my thoughts after a lot of reading up on the subject and interviews of RMS and ESR and internet discussion forums.

> But a lot of OSS supporters are of the view that the enemy is Free Software and not Closed Source/Proprietary software.

Citation please? I can't think of any (non-corporate) person who has expressed that sort of sentiment.

I've read this opinion on a lot of blogs and online discussions. But it's impossible for me at this time to collect a list of authoritative sources.

But, for instance, check out ESR's blog esr.ibiblio.org and check the comments on his latest article, calling RMS a fanatic. May of the views expressed in the comments section reflect this view.

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