If you have read any of my articles that were computer related, you would easily come to the realization that I'm a fan of Open Source. When I was trying to record a podcast and was talking about Open Source my wife chimed in that that meant "free". I didn't correct her in any way because I didn't knew how to and I was recording. Yes it's free but it does need our financial support. But that is another topic, what I want to focus on is why proprietary software will eventually become subservient to Open Source software.

when I was pretty young, around my Jr. High days, I was way into computers in general, reinstall windows more times than I can count (in German), and even got a few different versions of Linux to run, which is a feat because it was no where near as easy to install then as it is now. And I told all my friends that they should use Linux and I could point out all the perks and benefits of Linux. But to no avail, they already had windows, and it did what they wanted, and most important (to anybody in Jr. High of course) they could play their games and those games could not be played by Linux. I lost, and worse yet Linux lost, it was only for the Hardcore computer nerd...

Well it seems that it really hasn't changed all that much in the current day situation, but having podcast from all kinds of Linux communities such as "The Linux Action Show!" the host Chris and Bryan give news about thousands of computers switching over to Linux, this podcast show gets a good amount of audio feedback and e-mail feedback. Signs like this give me hope for the overall desktop adoption of Linux and Open Source software in general.

Now let me tell you of my own reason why I can't switch, and why I really want to switch to Open Source software. I will list my reasons/instances numerically:

(1) I want to install Ubuntu or Fedora Core Linux my Compaq Laptop, I have all the software that I would need for web development and school that I would need (I suppose I would get the NVU suite) with just the basic install of either. But, alas, I can't get the on board wireless card to work. I've found a few things on the internet, but I just don't have time to recompile (plus that word still scares me) a wireless driver into the kernel and not screw something up.

(2) I have a 30 gig iPod video, my first one had a battery problem after a couple of weeks and I was able to send it in to Apple, so of course I made sure the next one was registered with Apple so I could get any future problems fixed (and I have to give praise to Apple for how quickly we were able to send the iPod to them and get one back in good working order.). But a friend of mine at worked showed me his iAudio, and hardware features aside, just considering the fire ware (software that was built on to the device) he could delete songs from the device itself! A big deal to me because I work 10 hrs straight and the shuffle on my ipod seems to get the same thirty to forty songs, so I would like to delete the songs that I am absolutely sick of. He could also just put the music on in a drag and drop fashion, treat it as a mobile hard drive, and play OGG, FLAC, MP3, WAV...and best of all...THE FIRMWARE IS UPGRADABLE! The company site for that product says they listen to what their users want and put it in the firmware. Back to my iPod, so I want to keep my ipod, but have better option software wise, so I want to either put iPodLinux or RockBox on my ipod, and that will give me more supported audio file formats to play, and the ability to delete and better manage files. BUT I won't because if their is a problem I want to be able to send it right back to Apple and get it fixed without them telling me I altered the firmware, thus voiding the warranty.

The real kicker of proprietary software is the laws. Companies watch each other like Hawks because they want to make the money off their "idea", why this may help them make money, it cripples software. Lucky for us we can hack our own hardware and put what we want, with the functionality we want, thanks to all the bright programmers out there who make what they want and are actually passionate about it. And best of all they want to share it and let others improve upon it! It seems to me that the laws suits match the petty arguments that my sibling and I had as kids, "You can't copy what I see cause I said it first! I was born before you, so you can't copy what I do, that includes breathing!" If I or my younger siblings had to bow to such ridiculous arguments like every software company, there would be many dead children (note: my family isn't that bad, just little kids bugging each other).