[oclug] MicroSoft says Linux, OpenSource threaten innovation

[bbarnett at l8r.net]

On 19-Feb-2001 Francis Pinteric wrote:
> 
> --- Andrew Hutton <ajh at finux.org> wrote:
> 
>> Uh, how is sharing and community effort not communism... in a
>> communist
>> society people contribute what they're best at.  How is Linux any
>> different
>> ?
>> 
>> This is a GOOD thing.  You really like mis-interpreting for your
>> own gains
>> and are really negative towards everything.
>> 
> 
> Hmmm, I think I'll have to re-read Marx and Engels and see what they
> have to say. Sharing your efforts with other members in community is
> not necessarily communision. In fact this has been the Christian
> ideal from the very beginning. I agree, that the sharing part is a
> good thing, and the Linux community (and dare I say, the entire
> world) has benefited.
> 
> That being said, and because that happens to be a feature of
> communism, doesn't mean that it's ugly features are to be accepted. I
> would go so far as to say that it's ugly features far outweigh the
> good. Even capitalism has it's good side and it's ugly side. That
> doesn't mean I accept it, but the good things outwiegh the bad. I
> reject communism because it's bad period. It denies personal freedom
> to the benefit of the state. It denies private property. It
> sublimates the human to the point if their being mere cogs in the
> machinary of state. These are NOT good things.
> 

It doesn't deny personal freedom for the good of the state, it denies personal
freedom for the good of your fellow citizen.  The difference is important.

As for private property, it doesn't really count.  You don't really own your
property here.  You can't do whatever you want with it, building anything you
please.  You can't mine it, the land under it isn't yours to use as you wish. 
You have to pay a yearly "payment" in the form of tax or your land is taken
away from you!  In our society, it _seems_ the land is yours, but its really
not.  Its society's land, and there are rules that govern it accordingly.




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