does the ubuntu approach help or hurt Free Software

[drascus]

Please read my blog post and comment or comment here just looking for some opinions and any research that's been done. http://wp.me/pEvZO-19

[undecim]

I’m currently in the process of purging my computer of closed source software. I just have to take care of my ATI video card, Broadcom wireless card, flash player, and my BIOS.

But I don’t expect new Linux users to do the same. Most of them are coming from 95%+ closed source environments to 95%+ free environments. That sounds like a pretty good move to me, and telling everyone to go buy all these new parts to do so is just a hindrance.

What we need right now is market share. Once we have the market share, then we can start pushing for open hardware specifications and develop open source drivers.

It’s pretty much the same tactic that Microsoft uses to push out competitors: use market share to get your way. Linux and other FOSS software has been growing in use for years, and shows no signs of stopping. So all we have to do is keep making it better and keep increasing the adoption rate.

We just have to be patient and wait until we have the power to say to these companies “We’re dropping support for your closed drivers, but if you release your hardware specs, we’ll develop free drivers so that people will still give money for your hardware.”

[Tibuda]

This could possibly lead to hardware manufacturers and developers not taking seriously our movement and just offering us proprietary drivers for GNU/Linux instead of Freeing up their drivers.
Proprietary dirvers > No drivers

[ikt]

Please read my blog post and comment or comment here just looking for some opinions and any research that's been done. http://wp.me/pEvZO-19

Why can't you just post what you want to say instead of hit driving?

It isn't even a new argument and will probably be moved to reccuring discussions