Michael Meskes <meskes@postgresql.org> wrote:
> Unfortunately it doesn't always work this way. I knew one government
> organization that decided to go for Oracle for 500K Euro instead of
> adding the missing features (actually almost exclusively PITR). One of
> the top arguments I heard was: "I don't believe that free software
> community works. Once the developers get a social life or even kids,
> they stop working on software." Of course I told him that I still do
> work on free software despite having three sons on which he answered:
> "Maybe, but I still don't believe it."
>
> Sad but true.
I think it is about "sustainability of free software".
Linux kernel community gets many contributions and commitments from big
IT companies, like Intel, IBM, NEC, etc. They throw many hackers into
opensource community. So I think the linux kernel is getting more
powerful and sustainable. Linux kernel can be trustful in the future?
Yes, I think so. Even today, Oracle is running on Linux.
In opensource community, I think only the developer pool can be
guarantee for its sustainability. We need more developers and supporting
companies.
Can we get a belief in sustainability?
BTW, Japanese government is considering the opensouce software. One
official said, "We don't want to pay more license fee to the proprietary
software companies, like MS, Oracle or else. But we don't know how to
keep the relationship with opensource community. The government may tend
to be disliked by NPO(Non-profit organization) or else...".
But he also said, "NAIST(www.naist.go.jp) are going to replace *ALL*
their software with opensource in next 2 years."
I feel we are in the new movement now. We have a chance in our hands.
Don't be disappointed.
And my project is granted by IPA(www.ipa.go.jp) Japan. :-)
--
NAGAYASU Satoshi <snaga@snaga.org>