Re: Closed Source Packages in Maemo
 

Re: Closed Source Packages in Maemo
 

That's not ethics, that ideology.

Re: Closed Source Packages in Maemo
 

I am familiar with the philosophy of the GNU program. I reject it as idealistic, not mention wrong on several points. You can argue the Open Source software is more secure or that you feel more comfortable running it on your machine because you know what its doing. But you cannot say that someone is doing something unethical or immoral by licensing closed source software.

I would say I use 90 percent open source software, or free in the gnu sense, but not for moralistic reasons I just like it. :)

Re: Closed Source Packages in Maemo
 

Such as? The iPhone store has made it pretty clear that the key 'differentiator' for smartphones/pocket computers is in add-on apps, and that means attracting developers. Google get that, which is why they're pushing to get a critical mass of Android running on as many different units as possible. How attractive will Maemo really be if it only runs on the N900?

Re: Closed Source Packages in Maemo
 

How many different machines does iPhone OSX run on?

I don't seem to recall people saying that the iPhone is an under-achiever in the market...

Re: Closed Source Packages in Maemo
 

It's not about money; it never has been. The GNU project made money selling their software from the very beginning. It's about freedom, and how taking that away from people just because you can isn't a good way to behave. It's secondarily about the idea that pooled efforts give better results than divided ones.

For the anti-free software folks in this thread, I'd ask you this - why's Nokia going as far down the road of using and creating free software as they are if they didn't think it would make them more money than staying proprietary, even when they already had their own proprietary OS?

Re: Closed Source Packages in Maemo
 

You're building a straw man. My contention was with the theory that Chinese knockoffs will be good for Nokia.

Re: Closed Source Packages in Maemo
 

Another straw man.

Who can you identify here as "anti-free software"?

Re: Closed Source Packages in Maemo
 

I dont think you should call anyone in this thread anti-free software.
I am not arguing against free software. I am arguing against free software being the only ethical or moral option.
I appreciate the collaboration done to create open source software and I think good things have come frome it. Things I use on a daily basis. I agree that it is good to see people voluntarilly give of their time to make free software, but I do not think it is unethical to make closed software. And I clearly want to point out that at this point in time closed source software is much more lucrative.
How many people make a living off open source software compared to closed source?
The programmers need to eat and one way to ensure they eat is to sell licenses to use their software. And there is nothing wrong with that.

Re: Closed Source Packages in Maemo
 

That's fair; it's an excessively crude characterisation. Nevertheless, there's basically a two-sided debate here, and I simply mean the people on the other side.