The Simple Economics of Open Source

[Gordon McMillan]

Terry Reedy wrote:

> 
> "Gordon McMillan" <gmcm at hypernet.com> wrote in message
> news:1255272357-
> 
> > One of those open source delusions is that being open source
> > somehow makes a difference to the end consumer. Bunk.
> 
> Whether most consumers yet know it or not, there is all the
> difference in the world. 

Of course there is; all your points are correct. But no end user 
will read the source and discover the bug / trojan horse / 
whatever. It's another developer that will.

My point was that to the end user, those files are a waste of 
disk space. They get value from the fact that it's open 
sourced, not from the source.

- Gordon