Linux World domination (was Re: [NCLUG] PC for Linux (Ubuntu))

[John L. Bass]

Chad Perrin wrote:
>
> It's funny you quote this, considering it essentially refutes your own
> statements to the effect that programmers can't make a living writing
> software in an all open source world.
>   

I have not made that assertion "that programmers can't make a living 
writing software in an all open source world". I did make the assertion 
that "an all open source world" (as you state it) would remove a 
significant salary (profit) incentive for students to formally train in 
software fields, and would reduce and impair society in the long run. 
The same can be said about doctors, and other professionals. We can 
agree to disagree here, as that is another topic to debate.
> I'd also note that I don't agree programmers would not get paid as much
> as they do now.  On the contrary, I believe there would be more money to
> go around for programmers in an all open source world, because of the
> chilling effects intellectual monopoly power can have on the tech
> industry economy by suppressing innovation and favoring market dominating
> corporate giants whose primary business model is continued dominance by
> crushing the competition (as opposed to performing well, which is not
> necessary to such a business model at all)
A very small amount of software today carries a chilling monopoly with 
it. Certainly not true for operating systems, where besides MS Win 
products, we have Apple Mac, UNIX, Open Solaris, Free BSD, Linux of 
several flavours, and more. There are dozens of competitive shrink wrap 
titles in nearly every market niche. The lack of MS Win shrink products 
being ported to Linux desktops, is more because of FOSS advocates which 
are hostile to shrink wrap binaries, than any sense of monopolies.

Innovation and competition is thriving on proprietary platforms because 
it, and greatly stifled on Linux platforms for the same reason.

We see that in a broad diversity of games on MS Win, PS2, and other 
proprietary platforms. We see that with the broad diversity of business 
applications on MS Win and UNIX, using the shrink wrap binary business 
model.

The chilling effects of mandatory FOSS applications for Linux, block 
choice, not any monopoly.