Is Open source really worth it at last 13598

How odd. You say you've spotted some Paypal buttons on some open-source software's websites, and therefore all open-source programmers are beggars taking odd jobs to put food in their mouths, right? How come

Not all software authors want to make money from their programs. I've written open-source stuff (e.g. a driver for the Linux kernel) because I wanted to get something to work (a direct benefit for me), not because I wanted to demand payment for it.

And I've benefitted by releasing the code. I've gotten bug reports, enhancements, and documentation from users of my stuff, which has made them more valuable to me in turn.

Hey, I'm not opposed to closed-source in principle, where it makes sense. I can understand closed-source commercial games, for example. Though I think it makes sense to open up the source when the time comes, and it's economically justified. Like Id Software has repeatedly done.

But even then, it's possible (and many companies are doing so - others have pointed out more examples, to which I'll add Sendmail.com and SSH.com) to make money with open-source software. These two companies follow the "dual license" strategy, one of seven business models described here:

-- Sincerely,

Ray Ingles (313) 227-2317

"Kids cost nothing to make, and what with the Internet, they practically raise themselves!" - Homer Simpson