tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317310.post115992361954997525..comments2023-11-02T09:28:05.181-04:00Comments on Daily Revolution Archive: Geek Wednesday: Lessons From A (Really) Free PressBrian Donohuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03247660397233913297noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317310.post-1159987188329746362006-10-04T14:39:00.000-04:002006-10-04T14:39:00.000-04:00Hey Miss B., that proposal of yours could find a s...Hey Miss B., that proposal of yours could find a second life as an article or blog post (hell, I'd publish it!). There's lots of folks out there who have the same level of mystification over Open Source as your boss did. So consider recycling that proposal and the explanation you gave your boss--it may well deserve a larger audience.Brian Donohuehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03247660397233913297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8317310.post-1159941420962267352006-10-04T01:57:00.000-04:002006-10-04T01:57:00.000-04:00Your point about the open source model being appli...Your point about the open source model being applicable in more areas than just technology is so dead on. (Side note: I'm involved in voting reform and one of the big pushes in that movement is for open source software in voting and tabulation machines.)<BR/><BR/>It reminds me of a conversation I had wiht my boss (president of the company) last year when I proposed switching our office entirely to open source applications. I spent a huge amount of time compiling the info, working up estimated learning curves, potential savings both primary and secondary...the works. Put this all together with a summary in layman's terms he could understand.<BR/><BR/>He loved it. Totally on board and especially enticed by the possibility of seeing one of our biggest expenses (software purchase & compliance) eliminated. Then he asked me, "But...how do they make their money?"<BR/><BR/>I explained the whole open source philosophy and even brought in a friend who's deeply involved in the open source movement here in Portland to help me explain it. It was honestly like we were talking Greek to him. He simply could not get past the idea that open source doesn't work on the mentality that everyone's out for themselves and/or that the whole purpose for doing _anything_ is to make money. And he's actually a very ethical guy, he just could not fathom that people there would be any bigger motivator than massive profit.<BR/><BR/>One of the most clarifying moments I've ever had of the divide between what I believe and what "they" believe.Bittyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01559013235379520937noreply@blogger.com