The same skills used to develop free software can be used to earn a lot of money making corporate software. The same is true for other professions: they can work for an employer, be self-employed, or volunteer their time. The analogy fits, and we all need to earn money to survive.
The carpenter’s “passion project” has turned into a bridge on the city’s main thoroughfare. And now he’s got this great idea for letting a robot maintain it.
The robot’s last job was at the trap door factory.
People are concerned. “My cousin fell through a trap door on the bridge yesterday!” But the carpenter is clear: “Go build your own bridge, then.”
The whole point of giving it away is that it won’t just be in his yard anymore.
that’s his right
Yep, you can argue that the carpenter is within his rights. That’s always a sign that the actor in question is behaving in a constructive way, isn’t it, when the best defense is to run directly to the finer points of what that actor is legally permitted to do?
“That’s his right” is a very narrow lens with which to view the situation. It’s not a POV you’d even choose to bring to the discussion unless you had already decided on the question. It does nothing to address the real-world problems and complaints that are happening. It’s pretty much changing the subject.
Would you make the same “within their rights” argument if the carpenter was Google? Microsoft?
people want him to build his bridge their way and keep using his bridge.
I don’t think that’s accurate. People who rely on rsync want some kind of clear path forward, the option to use something similar in quality to the older versions. If that’s not the original rsync project run by the orginal rsync developer, no one will care much.
It would have been possible for the developer to turn over mainline rsync to someone else, and to go down his AI powered rabbit hole on his own. He could have done all the stuff that was “his right” without being disruptive.
It would have been possible for the developer to turn over mainline rsync
It’s his code. There is no mainline rsync. Whatever the community picks is mainline. When people didn’t like where MySQL was going, they forked and made MariaDB the “mainline”.
If people keep downloading his rsync and not another, that’s their choice. We might not like it but you can’t force people to use the software you prefer.
Except that in your analogy, the carpenter was working on his own passion project for free.
Exactly. No one expects free work from carpenters, artists, chefs, etc. But for some reason it’s fine to demand things from free software devs?
Not really. This is not about money but about skill. Hence I said this is not 100% accurate and added a proper explanation.
Open source is not about money. The philosophy and culture around it is centered around a set of values. It’s free as in freedom.
The same skills used to develop free software can be used to earn a lot of money making corporate software. The same is true for other professions: they can work for an employer, be self-employed, or volunteer their time. The analogy fits, and we all need to earn money to survive.
Isn’t a lot of the freedom the ability to fork and make your own version if you don’t think the original version fits your needs?
The carpenter’s “passion project” has turned into a bridge on the city’s main thoroughfare. And now he’s got this great idea for letting a robot maintain it.
The robot’s last job was at the trap door factory.
People are concerned. “My cousin fell through a trap door on the bridge yesterday!” But the carpenter is clear: “Go build your own bridge, then.”
It’s still his bridge in his yard even if he had been letting everyone use it.
It’s not his problem. He’s handing out free bridges to everyone. But people want him to build his bridge their way and keep using his bridge.
If he wants to ruin his personal project, that’s his right.
The whole point of giving it away is that it won’t just be in his yard anymore.
Yep, you can argue that the carpenter is within his rights. That’s always a sign that the actor in question is behaving in a constructive way, isn’t it, when the best defense is to run directly to the finer points of what that actor is legally permitted to do?
“That’s his right” is a very narrow lens with which to view the situation. It’s not a POV you’d even choose to bring to the discussion unless you had already decided on the question. It does nothing to address the real-world problems and complaints that are happening. It’s pretty much changing the subject.
Would you make the same “within their rights” argument if the carpenter was Google? Microsoft?
I don’t think that’s accurate. People who rely on rsync want some kind of clear path forward, the option to use something similar in quality to the older versions. If that’s not the original rsync project run by the orginal rsync developer, no one will care much.
It would have been possible for the developer to turn over mainline rsync to someone else, and to go down his AI powered rabbit hole on his own. He could have done all the stuff that was “his right” without being disruptive.
It’s his code. There is no mainline rsync. Whatever the community picks is mainline. When people didn’t like where MySQL was going, they forked and made MariaDB the “mainline”.
If people keep downloading his rsync and not another, that’s their choice. We might not like it but you can’t force people to use the software you prefer.
Analogies are shit and don’t prove anything.
Opinions are shit and don’t prove anything.
I’m completely aware about that. Hence the acknowledgement and explanation in the first comment itself.