Philosophy and economics of Ubuntu

[Paul Harper]

In the book "Success of Open Source" by Steven Weber
the author comes to a simialar conclusion to Mark. He
shows examples from the biotechnology to petrochemical
industries.

http://www.gbn.org/BookClubSelectionDisplayServlet.srv?si=25716


I don't have shares in the book for the record!

Really worth reading for you business types.

Regards,

Paul Harper

P.S. Give us a choice of Kde, Gnome, Icewm etc. 

Some of us have old computers!
--- Mark Shuttleworth <mark at hbd.com> wrote:

> 
> I'm investing in open source software now because I
> believe it 
> represents a new and more powerful way of developing
> software, and am 
> optimistic that I can find sustainable opportunities
> inside that 
> newly-shaped industry if I participate in the
> process. And having used 
> open source software for a decade behind the scenes,
> I have watched it 
> mature to the point that I believe the time is right
> to make a push for 
> open source on every desktop.
> 
> There's a more philosophical slant to my interest
> than the immediate 
> opportunity it presents. Very simply, I believe that
> open source 
> software is a first glimpse of new economic forces
> that will have a 
> significant impact on all sectors of the global
> economy over the next 30 
> years. Open source software is the first
> manifestation of "collaborative 
> competition" empowered by the internet. It happened
> first in the 
> software industry because code is relatively easy to
> diff, patch and 
> merge. But other industries, starting with the
> publishing industry, are 
> going to find themselves rocked by this same
> underlying force. The 
> recording industry, motion picture industry, and
> then service 
> industries, will see similar effects.
> 
> Hold onto your hats, I think this is going to be a
> fun ride.
> 
> Rudi von Staden wrote:
> 
> >I'm busy downloading Ubuntu and am really impressed
> with what I'm
> >hearing so far. Being South African, I'm also glad
> that Mark
> >Shuttleworth is backing it! I've been trying to
> convince several of my
> >economically oriented friends that this is a
> significant step towards
> >Linux becoming a viable option in the desktop
> market, especially
> >within the private sector. Their response is that
> Open Source will
> >never succeed in the long term because there is no
> financial incentive
> >for the developers/investors. I don't want to clog
> the list with
> >philosophical debates on Open Source, but I am
> curious about why Mark
> >Shuttleworth would invest in Ubuntu - is it purely
> benevolent or is it
> >intended to return a profit in the future?
> >
> >Thanks,
> >Rudi
> >
> >  
> >
> 
> -- 
> Ubuntu! Building a Desktop OS for the 21st century.
> www.ubuntulinux.org
> http://www.markshuttleworth.com/
> 
> 
> -- 
> sounder mailing list
> sounder at lists.ubuntu.com
> http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/sounder
> 



		
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