OSS (was Re: Stand Alone Erlang)

[klacke@REDACTED]

On Fri, Mar 12, 2004 at 11:18:11AM +0000, Mike Williams wrote:
> In article <20040312081830.6068ab1e.erlang@REDACTED>,
>  erlang@REDACTED (Peter-Henry Mander) writes:
> 
> |> Perhaps I might kick off the issue of OSS on erlang-questions. How does
> |> one convince the non-technical bean counters that using and _providing_
> |> OSS is of commercial benefit? And that opening source code may generate
> |> goodwill (something that SCO Group is suffering a severe lack thereof!)
> |> leading to sales.
> 
> There is one one issue, MONEY.
> 


Nahhh, wrong.


> You have to convince the "owners" of the code (often, 
> but not always the people
> who paid for the development of the code), that it is in their COMMERCIAL
> ADVANTAGE to contribute the code to Open Source.
> 


So, the COMMERCIAL bit here, well some lame corps release code as open source
just because they thing it's in their COMMERCIAL interest. That doesn't
apply to the vast majority of open source code though. Most of it is
released by feverish individuals with various murky agendas, such as 
"destroy Microsoft" or "earn reputation as hacker" or whatnot.

Then there are a number of largish corporations, such as /// and
Nortel that only go where the money is. However, within these
corporations thare are decent individuals that "do the right thing"

Remember, it's easier to get forgivness than to get permission. So
don't ask for permission, just release it. I did (Yaws)




> 
> (PS: The intelligent reader can venture a guess as to why Ericsson released
>  Erlang/OTP - as I am a "suite" nowadays, I won't tell you :-)
> 

As if you know, you don't. What goes on in the heads of the suits
is as inpredictable as the stockmarket. Q.E.D.



> This communication is confidential and intended solely for the addressee(s).


And this is not, I hereby, freely allow anyone who reads this to
rephrase it and resend it as they please.



/klacke


-- 
Claes Wikstrom                        -- Caps lock is nowhere and
http://www.hyber.org                  -- everything is under control