Re: Open-Source and programming style

[Chris Morgan <mihalis@ix.netcom.com>]

dewarr@my-dejanews.com writes:

>Perhaps GPL is the happy-hunting grounds where
> programs go
> > to be happy after having served their time being used to
> wring money
> > from users in previous incarnations.
> 
> 
> This last statement by Chris seems completely bogus to me.
> I can only think of counterexamples. Linux itself, which is
> the culmination of RMS' vision of a freely distributed OS,
> EMACS, GCC, GNAT, GDB etc.

It may be down to language here but here goes. Prof Dewar is always
exact in his language and I am a bit more metaphorical, but I don't
agree that my point is completely bogus. Perhaps it would be more
accurate to say GPL is the happy-hunting ground where the experts go
after having done their thing with the proprietary model.

Linux is a reimplementation of posix and hence other *nixes. Most
previous *nixes have been commercial except for the branch rooted at
UCB. Posix is of course the term RMS coined for the IEEE
standardisation of Unix which is mandated by federal procurement
regulations AIUI (remember, NT is Posix compliant!). Thus this
commercially highly significant "thing" for want of a better word has
finally made it to GPL status and I'm very pleased it has. I get the
feeling lots of standard Unix programs and programmers are very
"happy" with Linux too.

GCC is a unique technology (I mean, whoever heard of a portable
code-generator!), but it has often displaced bundled C compilers which
came with commercial Unix. The basic "compile this C code well,
quickly and in a standards-conforming way" property of C compilers is
now a GPLed commodity (just use the right flags). Note I fully
acknowledge the extra, unique and sometimes astonishing features of
gcc. Similarly with GDB.

GNAT is developed by a formidable tribe of ex-proprietary Ada compiler
developers. Yet again something heretofore largely or wholly
proprietary ("ada compiler") is now GPLed and demonstrating leadership
technology.

In all of the above the transfer of actual source from old proprietary
to new GPL components is minimal, however the expertise applied to
produce the latter has been greatly expanded in each and every case by
experts familiar with the former, along with a few geniuses.

Chris
-- 
Chris Morgan <mihalis at ix.netcom.com> 
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