Comments on: Firefox, Linux and the end of capitalism http://alanpritt.com/blog/2006/10/29/firefox-linux-and-the-end-of-capitalism/ Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:01:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Alan Pritt http://alanpritt.com/blog/2006/10/29/firefox-linux-and-the-end-of-capitalism/comment-page-1/#comment-5067 Alan Pritt Sun, 05 Aug 2007 19:00:20 +0000 http://localhost/alanpritt/blog/2006/10/29/firefox-linux-and-the-end-of-capitalism/#comment-5067 Certainly. This isn't to say that we have arrived at this ideological socialism. People who build because they love to build still need to buy food, pay rent, travel, purchase hardware and so on. Open source embraces capitalism now, because we live in that world. But if the world was more like software and other intellectual property, the rules change. I believe there are plenty of people who will work on software and write books full time, for no money, if they could. These jobs are interesting and challenging enough for that to happen. Factory jobs and boring admin jobs ruin this socialist dream. People just won't do them without a financial incentive. But they are boring because they are easy; and easy work will be automated. The low socialist ideal is one that has a dream, and believes we can just wish it to happen. And when that wish doesn't just happen, they have to force it... as we have seen, sometimes by gun point. The high socialist ideal (and this is probably bad terminology) is one that happens naturally, and whose time has not yet come. I just believe we are seeing the beginning of it. Certainly we are seeing an enhancement to Capitalism. One that encourages lots of competition. If socialism believes in redistribution of wealth, Open Source provides it by making it easier for start-ups to emerge. On a practical basis there is very little in common with socialist ideologies: Socialism starts with a dream; Open Source has grown with its feet firmly planted in reality. But I believe it shares a similar dream. Certainly. This isn’t to say that we have arrived at this ideological socialism. People who build because they love to build still need to buy food, pay rent, travel, purchase hardware and so on. Open source embraces capitalism now, because we live in that world.

But if the world was more like software and other intellectual property, the rules change. I believe there are plenty of people who will work on software and write books full time, for no money, if they could. These jobs are interesting and challenging enough for that to happen. Factory jobs and boring admin jobs ruin this socialist dream. People just won’t do them without a financial incentive. But they are boring because they are easy; and easy work will be automated.

The low socialist ideal is one that has a dream, and believes we can just wish it to happen. And when that wish doesn’t just happen, they have to force it… as we have seen, sometimes by gun point.

The high socialist ideal (and this is probably bad terminology) is one that happens naturally, and whose time has not yet come. I just believe we are seeing the beginning of it.

Certainly we are seeing an enhancement to Capitalism. One that encourages lots of competition. If socialism believes in redistribution of wealth, Open Source provides it by making it easier for start-ups to emerge.

On a practical basis there is very little in common with socialist ideologies: Socialism starts with a dream; Open Source has grown with its feet firmly planted in reality. But I believe it shares a similar dream.

]]> By: Amaury Nieto http://alanpritt.com/blog/2006/10/29/firefox-linux-and-the-end-of-capitalism/comment-page-1/#comment-5061 Amaury Nieto Sun, 05 Aug 2007 15:15:00 +0000 http://localhost/alanpritt/blog/2006/10/29/firefox-linux-and-the-end-of-capitalism/#comment-5061 Regarding your view on Capitalism, the GPL clearly states that software is owned by its creator, and one is bound legally to share under the same terms any derivative. The wealth gained by Open Source IS capitalistic. Perhaps not through a monetary note, but definitely through a wealth of knowledge. Debasing Linux and Open Source to a low socialistic ideology is a disservice to it, and the community of users and programmers who continuously capitalize personally through it. Regarding your view on Capitalism, the GPL clearly states that software is owned by its creator, and one is bound legally to share under the same terms any derivative. The wealth gained by Open Source IS capitalistic. Perhaps not through a monetary note, but definitely through a wealth of knowledge.

Debasing Linux and Open Source to a low socialistic ideology is a disservice to it, and the community of users and programmers who continuously capitalize personally through it.

]]> By: Alan Pritt http://alanpritt.com/blog/2006/10/29/firefox-linux-and-the-end-of-capitalism/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Alan Pritt Fri, 03 Nov 2006 09:17:39 +0000 http://localhost/alanpritt/blog/2006/10/29/firefox-linux-and-the-end-of-capitalism/#comment-12 Microsoft is still ahead in many things, but their lead is looking surprisingly narrow. I think they have a bit of a crisis to look forward to. We're just waiting for the tipping point. Microsoft is still ahead in many things, but their lead is looking surprisingly narrow. I think they have a bit of a crisis to look forward to. We’re just waiting for the tipping point.

]]> By: Mark http://alanpritt.com/blog/2006/10/29/firefox-linux-and-the-end-of-capitalism/comment-page-1/#comment-10 Mark Fri, 03 Nov 2006 03:03:27 +0000 http://localhost/alanpritt/blog/2006/10/29/firefox-linux-and-the-end-of-capitalism/#comment-10 I was an early adapter and convert to Firefox if only for the tab function and to see IE clumsily try to replicate it makes me laugh. As someone who has a mac in addition to using Firefox as my main internet browser I am not sad to see Microsoft slowly creep out of my life. I was an early adapter and convert to Firefox if only for the tab function and to see IE clumsily try to replicate it makes me laugh. As someone who has a mac in addition to using Firefox as my main internet browser I am not sad to see Microsoft slowly creep out of my life.

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