Posted on July 1, 2010 by Simon Phipps
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I hope to be able to participate in this activity, if only to ensure that it does not become a validation for the practice of using “contributor agreements” by corporations “hosting” open source projects. Contributor agreements are bad for communities, because they give one community member more rights than everyone else. They are perhaps justifiable if the entity aggregating everyone’s copyright is acting on behalf of the whole community democratically (such as a non-profit foundation), but otherwise they are the genetic marker for a community with issues.
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One explanation for the significant Amazon down-time on Tuesday could be that they were switching from S3 to S4 as their storage technology. Possibly successfully.
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Mårten Mickos responds to my criticisms of open core in a thoughtful posting.
Filed under: Links | Comments Off on ☞ Another Harmony
Posted on June 30, 2010 by Simon Phipps
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“just as we shouldn’t worry about the lack of “billion dollar” pure play open source software firms, we should also not fall sway to the complaints of companies who are being disrupted by these models, about how all that money they make is somehow “disappearing” if the government doesn’t come in and protect their business model” — I might even go so far as to assert that a billion-dollar open source company would be the sign that your software freedom was at risk…
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“Why isn’t the open crowd more open-minded?” — Another person observing the indisputable fact that the open source and free software worlds are rife with sectarianism. To answer the question, it is a consequence of the passion people have combined with the nature of the issue and the one fact no-one feels free to seriously mention, the fact that much of the brilliance in the community is a consequence of the focus that Aspergers delivers.
Filed under: Links | Comments Off on ☞ Open Source Dynamics
Posted on June 29, 2010 by Simon Phipps
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“Why isn’t the open crowd more open-minded?” — Another person observing the indisputable fact that the open source and free software worlds are rife with sectarianism. To answer the question, it is a consequence of the passion people have combined with the nature of the issue and the one fact no-one feels free to seriously mention, the fact that much of the brilliance in the community is a consequence of the focus that Aspergers delivers.
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This has been an important meeting place for legislators from southern Europe in previous years and I anticipate it will once again be a crucial venue for the advancement of political agendas implementing open source strategies.
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A venn diagram that proves Doctor Who is in fact the ultimate scifi story.
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Glyn’s conclusion is “not yet” but the rest of his analysis certainly rings true for me.
Filed under: Links | 1 Comment »
Posted on June 28, 2010 by Simon Phipps
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Somehow my body had already worked out that 135º slouch was the perfect posture for working. Not to mention “working”.
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Forrester analyst with a valid concern about an architectural need for Java that no-one seems to be addressing, and with no obvious way of getting it addressed. A governance statement about Java is overdue.
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I think this is the first time the kill-switch has been used to remotely eliminated an app from live cellphones without the knowledge of their owners. Somewhat ironic it’s Google and not Apple doing it.
Filed under: Links | 2 Comments »
Posted on June 27, 2010 by Simon Phipps
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This year’s Open World Forum has a packed and scorching hot agenda and I’m honored to be chairing the opening state-of-the-union keynote panel. Make note now on your calendar to be in Paris September 30 and October 1.
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Good observations from the juxtaposition of technology marketing cultures. All the way through I can hear Steve Jobs in the back of my mind muttering about Microsoft having no taste…
Filed under: Links | Comments Off on ☞ Drawing A Crowd
Posted on June 26, 2010 by Simon Phipps
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Good snapshot of the history and thinking behind ForgeRock.
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“Police, at their discretion, can deny access to the area and “use whatever force is necessary” to keep people out. Anyone who refuses to identify themselves or refuses to provide a reason for their visit can be fined up to $500. The new rules also give police the power to search anyone who approaches the fence. The regulation also says that if someone has a dispute with an officer and it goes to court “the police officer’s statement under oath is considered conclusive evidence under the Act.” — Draconican, excessive, unaccountable. When governments treat their citizens like this, democracy is deeply threatened.
Filed under: Links | 1 Comment »
Posted on June 25, 2010 by Simon Phipps
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Wonderfully written story from Quinn about low-budget experimentation with fusion reactions.
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Interesting mashup showing the trains on the London Underground as little moving markers on the map. For some reason it seems like something out of a Harry Potter movie.
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Strangely fascinating watching all the little red dots moving the whole time.
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“A document leaked from the Presidency of the EU reveals that Member States are pushing for new criminal sanctions into the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), a few days ahead of the next negotiation round.” — very worrying out-of-control anti-citizen behaviour again from the unaccountable depths of the European Commission.
Filed under: Links | 1 Comment »
Posted on June 24, 2010 by Simon Phipps
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This was the received wisdom among the senior VPs at Sun just before the fall of the company. While there is a marginal justification for adding some closed software at the periphery of a large open source project, having a hobbyist-featured core that’s open source and then putting everything you need for the move to production in closed add-ons denies the basic software freedoms that make open source so appealing to business.
It must be treated as equally toxic as the proprietary products open source displaced and which open core mimics. Avoid suppliers who idolise it.
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MySQLer Henrik Ingo finds Mårten Mikos’ assertions about open core wanting: “open core does not qualify as open source, as per the definition. It is closed source. It is the opposite of open source.”
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Brian Aker comments on Mickos’ plans at Eucalyptus and finds them wanting.
Filed under: Links | 6 Comments »
Posted on June 17, 2010 by Simon Phipps
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Not only is the patent system broken (it has forgotten to protect the public good in return for granting a temporary monopoly), but it turns out that thousands of the things are kept secret.
Shaped for an analog age where businesses were control points in a disconnected society, patents have become sinkholes for money and innovation in the connected digital age, allowing unjust monopolisation and chilling of network effects.
We are so overdue reform of the patent system, in the UK, the US and pretty much everywhere else.
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Great round-up by Brenda of recent developments on ACTA, worth taking a look. The moves by India to start a rebellion are especially welcome.
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Great to see that there’s thinking about copyright reform in progress in the UK, even if it’s a bit inaccessible.
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In which we are reminded of the context and the full quote from which the phrase is extracted and realise that it is being spun by those who prefer control to individual liberty.
Filed under: Issues, Links | 1 Comment »
Posted on June 15, 2010 by Simon Phipps
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While this is slick (if predictable) marketing there's a smarter solution than switching away from the software in which you've already invested to something else from Novell (or anyone else) and becoming the slave of proprietary software.
Since most of the software Sun produced is open source, current users can just stick with it and buy the service they need from a new supplier, such as ForgeRock. That's investment protection and technology continuity both provided by the liberties open source unlocks.
All Novell are offering here is a chance to be a slave to a new master, and they are offering it to customers who have already broken free – if they choose to be.
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A good argument here from Glyn. I'd go further and suggest that $1B open source companies might not actually be open source companies…
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I completely agree, but I and so many others have said it all before and no-one has done anything about it. I hope the author of this article will be joining me to revamp OSI…
Filed under: Links | 2 Comments »
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