Democrats Tap Open Source

[Jason Clinton]

Charles, Joshua Micah (UMKC-Student) wrote:

>>however your reaction must be to the political inference and seems to
>>support SCO's suggestion that OSS and community based efforts are
>>
>>
>little >more than communist.
>
>Well, unfortunately, in some cases OSS is communism.  Especially when
>RMS is an outspoken liberal.
>
>
*From WordNet (r) 2.0
<http://www.dict.org/bin/Dict?Form=Dict3&Database=wn>: *

liberal

n 1: a person who favors a political philosophy of progress and
reform and the protection of civil liberties [syn: progressive 
<http://www.dict.org/bin/Dict?Form=Dict2&Database=*&Query=progressive>]
[ant: conservative <http://www.dict.org/bin/Dict?Form=Dict2&Database=*&Query=conservative>]

liberalism == communism?

>That's what drives me crazy.  There really is two types of Open Source,
>or free software, what ever you want to call it.  There is the "Let's
>make the best product possible, using the best technique possible" which
>is pretty damn capitalistic when you get down to it.  Then there is the
>"Let's share everything."  Ok, that's socialism.  Sure in the end you
>get the same output many times, but for so many of us that are principal
>driven, it's an important distinction to make.
>
>
"Let's make the best product possible, using the best technique possible" == pragmatism
"Let's share everything." == pragmatic gift economy

*From WordNet (r) 2.0  <http://www.dict.org/bin/Dict?Form=Dict3&Database=wn>:
*  communism
n 1: a form of socialism that abolishes private ownership
2: a political theory favoring collectivism in a classless
society

socialism
n 1: a political theory advocating state ownership of industry
2: an economic system based on state ownership of capital [syn:
socialist economy <http://www.dict.org/bin/Dict?Form=Dict2&Database=*&Query=socialist+economy>] 
[ant: capitalism <http://www.dict.org/bin/Dict?Form=Dict2&Database=*&Query=capitalism>]

OSS, IMHO, is little more than "lets get shit done, together."