[Balug-Talk] license count != software popularity (Re: Open Source less popular than Free Software)

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Jesse Zbikowski (embeddedlinuxguy at gmail.com):

> I'm getting deja vu from that "open source" thread on lwn some weeks
> ago.  I think we agree that the important thing is to fix the meaning
> of "open source" in the context of software.  If people want to use
> the phrase in other contexts, in a derivative way, then I have to
> judge on a case-by-case basis whether that is more confusing or
> illuminating.

Good point.

[Thomas Friedman:]

> Actually, this is also a direct reference to open source software.
> Here's the definition on the Wikipedia page for his book, "The World
> Is Flat":

<snip)

OK, Friedman gets points for being one of the rare Establishment
insiders to at least have heard of (software-context) open source, and
to my astonishment use it at least as a reference point for metaphorical
reference.  

I'll actually give Friedman a pass on failing to stipulate a licensing
rights requirement for "communities uploading and collaborating on
online project" -- as usually the need to have the right to maintain
those works, fork them, create and distribute derivative works of them,
and verify that one has the right to use them for any purpose is not as
keenly critical a need.


> I've seen this guy on TV, saying stuff like, "We need an open source
> approach to foreign policy.  Let's get some bloggers in the White
> House!".  By which he means, let's reach a grass-roots consensus
> instead of letting a few executives call the shots.  That's not
> necessarily a bad idea in itself, but I'm not sure it should be
> conflated with the idea of open source.

People are perverse, confused, and inadvertantly mangle meanings in
applying concepts in new contexts for several reasons, including (as in
this case) not quite ever grasping that concept in its original context,
either.


> I don't know about this one; there was a show called "Open Source" on
> PRI, which definitely referred to F/L/OSS.

I believe that's the one I had in mind, but I greatly doubt that the
reference was to (software) open source.  It just had the (metaphorical)
_flavour_ about it of a riff off the older spy-biz / Beltway Bandit
usage, is my main reason for saying that.  Obviously, you may be
correct; it's just the impression I got.