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#1 2005-05-12 15:31:49

phrakture
Arch Overlord
From: behind you
Registered: 2003-10-29
Posts: 7,879
Website

biggest advantage of open source software?

don't cheat... but here's the real survey:
http://www.computereconomics.com/article.cfm?id=1043

just seeing how we stack up...

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#2 2005-05-12 16:16:35

Kern
Member
From: UK
Registered: 2005-02-09
Posts: 464

Re: biggest advantage of open source software?

biggest advantage... ? well, William Gates the Turd being outside the process probably bodes well for all concerned.

as in the main its driven by community not commerce, gives control to users,  doesnt prevent em tinkering, i'd go for "freedom from vendor" thingy and customisation.

Long Live Open Source!

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#3 2005-05-12 16:24:05

ozar
Member
From: USA
Registered: 2005-02-18
Posts: 1,686

Re: biggest advantage of open source software?

I voted for customization...


oz

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#4 2005-05-12 16:25:48

CyberTron
Member
From: Gotland ,Sweden
Registered: 2005-03-17
Posts: 645
Website

Re: biggest advantage of open source software?

I believe that the biggest advantage is the ability to be able to change things...and correct them if necessary, and when they are free, they tend to develop faster..and we (ordinary people that uses the software) tends to be taken more seriously big_smile


http://www.linuxportalen.com  -> Linux Help portal for Linux and ArchLinux (in swedish)

Dell Inspiron 8500
Kernel 2.6.14-archck1  (selfcompiled)
Enlightenment 17

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#5 2005-05-12 16:59:33

phrakture
Arch Overlord
From: behind you
Registered: 2003-10-29
Posts: 7,879
Website

Re: biggest advantage of open source software?

ozar wrote:

I voted for customization...

aye so did I... it's important to me (and probably alot of linux users) - I'm comparing standard users to businesses 8)

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#6 2005-05-12 17:11:37

iBertus
Member
From: Greenville, NC
Registered: 2004-11-04
Posts: 2,228

Re: biggest advantage of open source software?

I went with 'no/less vendor dependance' because I always disliked having to upgrade to another poor, but costly version of an M$ product just to be able and run some simple software package. With OSS I can always patch and compile if I need something new added and don't depend on some company to do it for me. I guess this could also fall into the 'customization' category.

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#7 2005-05-12 20:11:28

Gullible Jones
Member
Registered: 2004-12-29
Posts: 4,863

Re: biggest advantage of open source software?

Everything.

- Better security, because of faster responses to bug reports and more programmers being involved. (Witness Mozilla/Firefox - bugs are squashed very fast.)

- It's free.

- You can actually look at the source code.

- You can compile it with the options you want.

- No stupid EULAs (Microsoft), no stupid "You can't run this on other hardware) legal crap (Apple), etc.

- Finally, no stupid-ass secrecy in the the interest of bigger profits! This, IMHO, is probably the biggest advantage. If you make some great software, or a really useful new programming language, isn't letting other people see how it works the ethical thing to do? Doesn't that contribute more to society's technological progress than keeping whatever it is behind the closed doors of corporate policy?

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#8 2005-05-12 21:16:39

Snowman
Developer/Forum Fellow
From: Montreal, Canada
Registered: 2004-08-20
Posts: 5,212

Re: biggest advantage of open source software?

I voted for customization.  Another advantage of open source  is that it's more educational.  By looking  at the source code (of the kernel) you can learn how computers work (memory management, multi-tasking, etc.).  That is very difficult (impossible?) to do with closed source OSes.

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#9 2005-05-12 21:44:33

iBertus
Member
From: Greenville, NC
Registered: 2004-11-04
Posts: 2,228

Re: biggest advantage of open source software?

Snowman wrote:

... By looking  at the source code (of the kernel) you can learn how computers work (memory management, multi-tasking, etc.).  That is very difficult (impossible?) to do with closed source OSes.

This is a very good point! I have learned lots about computers just by doing this. I started even back when I was using Windows 95 looking at code snipits and learning how to implement a feature myself.

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#10 2005-05-13 02:42:46

rasat
Forum Fellow
From: Finland, working in Romania
Registered: 2002-12-27
Posts: 2,293
Website

Re: biggest advantage of open source software?

I voted ability to customize software.
After my vote took a look at the actual survey and "no/less vendor dependence" is highest. Was wondering why. I conclude Arch is a developer oriented distro.


Markku

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#11 2005-05-13 02:55:26

Meshuggin
Member
From: /home/meshuggin
Registered: 2005-03-23
Posts: 137

Re: biggest advantage of open source software?

Customize software it's the one  smile


Arch GNU/Linux 0.7.1 (Noodle)
Linux 2.6.14-archck1

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#12 2005-05-13 06:19:08

Snowman
Developer/Forum Fellow
From: Montreal, Canada
Registered: 2004-08-20
Posts: 5,212

Re: biggest advantage of open source software?

rasat wrote:

I voted ability to customize software.
After my vote took a look at the actual survey and "no/less vendor dependence" is highest. Was wondering why. I conclude Arch is a developer oriented distro.

I think that customization and no vendor dependence are more or less the same.  If you have access to the  code, you don't depend on the vendor to add the features you want or to correct a bug.

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#13 2005-05-13 07:09:24

shadowhand
Member
From: MN, USA
Registered: 2004-02-19
Posts: 1,142
Website

Re: biggest advantage of open source software?

I like Linux because it's free of spyware, I don't feel bad about using any software on it (no "borrowed" software on this computer tongue ), and because I can customize everything just how I want it. I know what's running on my computer and how to change anything I want.

Mostly though, I like the principle of Linux. I think it's better than "the other OS" and I support what GNU/Linux/OSS stands for.


·¬»· i am shadowhand, powered by webfaction

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#14 2005-05-13 08:06:16

iphitus
Forum Fellow
From: Melbourne, Australia
Registered: 2004-10-09
Posts: 4,927

Re: biggest advantage of open source software?

for *me*

the greatest benefit is the configurability.

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#15 2005-05-13 14:40:47

fetreney2000
Member
From: Malaysia
Registered: 2005-02-01
Posts: 81

Re: biggest advantage of open source software?

For me, because its free tongue

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#16 2005-05-13 23:38:28

droog
Member
Registered: 2004-11-18
Posts: 877

Re: biggest advantage of open source software?

I almost voted for the ability to customize software because I spend alot of time doing so, but i think vendor independence is what has allowed linux to become what it is. I would rather use linux binaries than have linus write up an eula like microsofts and start selling the kernel source.

On second thougth im not too sure.

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#17 2005-05-14 00:06:57

bosewicht
Member
From: Honolulu, HI
Registered: 2004-05-29
Posts: 67

Re: biggest advantage of open source software?

Cuz it allows me to break it and fix it...usually in that order, with a lot of profanity in between.


<b>There are 10 kinds of people in the world - those who understand binary
and those who don't.</b>

<b>I'm Steve and I'm a Super Villian</b>
http://www.rofl.name/flash/switchlinux4

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#18 2005-05-14 06:30:47

darkcoder
Member
From: A bar near you
Registered: 2004-09-10
Posts: 310

Re: biggest advantage of open source software?

vote for customization, but it has them all.  big_smile

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#19 2005-05-14 09:11:06

murkus
Member
From: Europe/Helsinki
Registered: 2004-03-19
Posts: 254

Re: biggest advantage of open source software?

I voted for no/less dependency. I'm a strong supporter of open information and file formats. Unfortunately I haven't got out of MS Office lock yet..

.murkus

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