The world of proprietary software, scary

[PartisanEntity]

I have been searching the web looking for a script to run a directory (like yellow pages) of all kinds of organisations, businesses, services, projects, sites etc.. for a specific community, I don't want to go into too many details at this point.

At first I thought I would find an open source projects, but it seems there isn't one that is fully developed, at least I did not find any.

So I settled for a package, based on php and mysql that is property. This is the first time I actually pay for web based software. Call me spoilt by the open source community.

So this company also has a support forum, I thought forum = community, but I was wrong.

Although members do help each other out and I do not wish to exaggerate, but I was amazed at how many tried to sell little tidbits of code to each other.

I interacted with two members privately in the hopes of sharing the language files with them that I had translated from English to German. We are talking about a .php file with 100 lines of code, mostly single words and a couple sentences here and there that need to be translated, the whole thing takes 1 hour max.

One was nice enough to trade language files, but had the audacity to email me his paypal account asking that if I was happy with his work I could donate some money for his time. I replied by saying I could send him my paypal account too if he liked my German translation.

Another PM'ed me and offered to sell me each file $10. I just cracked up laughing when I read their PM.

The proprietary world is hard, cold and greedy. There is no sense of 'community' and sharing. They do help each other, but only when it comes to code that is out there. When it comes to more important things, the ugly money issue rears its head.

After having spent years working with open source software, I am just shocked by the proprietary world, I hd forgotten about it.

p.s. There is a great big market for open source business directory software (like yellow pages). So if anyone of you are hip with mysql and php, you could ride the waves of fame and success if you offer a free alternative much like the people behind Wordpress and phpBB. I found only two companies and both offered proprietary products.

/rant :)

[jgrabham]

The proprietary world is hard, cold and greedy.

Stay here where its nice and warm and fuzzy :D

[KhaaL]

Not only that, but propietary software developers controls their users in a way the users themselves can't affect. Look at acrobat reader, or creative drivers... or even ACDsee... they've become more bloated with the years and people still use / are forced to use them.

At least we can fork in the free world... but unfortunatly, that takes a certain kind of knowlege (and clean code) and not everyone posess that knowlege...

[picpak]

I did a bit of searching and found this:

http://www.hotscripts.com/Detailed/65162.html

is this what you want?

[FuturePilot]

The proprietary world is hard, cold and greedy.
Wow. Before I read that line I got the same feeling just from your description. Now the Ubuntu Forums give me a nice warm fuzzy feeling:D

[PartisanEntity]

I did a bit of searching and found this:

http://www.hotscripts.com/Detailed/65162.html

is this what you want?

Yes, but I am sticking to the one I have now as it looks more developed than the one you link to. Plus the way it is built makes it quite easy to edit and customise. Thanks anyway.

[p_quarles]

The way the members of that forum were approaching the money issue doesn't really even make much business sense to me. I mean, in web design you make a lot more money selling solid implementations than you do selling little pieces (which, obviously, don't do anything by themselves). But, I guess that logic only makes sense to people who understand the value of FOSS. I guess I'd think PHP coders, though, might understand that value (?).

Btw, if you need a .css file that defaults to comic sans and a blinking blue background, I can PM you my PayPal account. :D

[Darkagentx]

It's sad that money came into something like that, but it does put perspective on the benefits of more community based places. :D

[tbroderick]

p.s. There is a great big market for open source business directory software (like yellow pages).

Did you take a look at joomla and the SOBI component?

[adamorjames]

Wow, proprietary :(

I'm still learning PHP so I can't help yet. Good luck man.

[Dr. C]

One must keep in mind that the cost to develop software under a Free-Libre / Open Source (FLOSS) model is a very small fraction of the cost of developing similar software under a propriety model since the FLOSS developer can leverage everyone's else's work.

For example I suspect that Canonical has spent less than 1/100 th, the amount that Microsoft spent to develop Windows Vista, to develop all the versions of Ubuntu.

[PartisanEntity]

Did you take a look at joomla and the SOBI component?

Yes I did, the package I have at the moment is what I was looking for actually, so im sticking to it, plus I purchased it so I will give it a go.

[EdThaSlayer]

Well, it is money after all that makes the world go round. :D

[Sporkman]

One must keep in mind that the cost to develop software under a Free-Libre / Open Source (FLOSS) model is a very small fraction of the cost of developing similar software under a propriety model since the FLOSS developer can leverage everyone's else's work.

For example I suspect that Canonical has spent less than 1/100 th, the amount that Microsoft spent to develop Windows Vista, to develop all the versions of Ubuntu.

Good point.

I think both proprietary & FOSS have their places, & their pros & cons for both the developer & the user. Remember that developers have to make a living, so either they charge for their work, do it for free in the hopes of generating related charge-able work (like support), or they have a day job & do the FOSS thing as a hobby or as charity.

[newbie2]

We believe that ODF has never been the target of MS-OOXML. The target has been, since day one, HTML. With the grand prize the Internet and the age of collaborative computing
http://blog.linuxtoday.com/blog/archives/071004-185336.html
http://lxer.com/module/forums/t/26180/
:rolleyes:

[derekr44]

I discovered this when doing work on a .NET portal that was open source *cough* DNN *cough*.

There were a few free modules available for download, but they were either (a) crappy, (b) incomplete or (c) a demo version. EVERYONE was trying to nickel and dime for their work... $5 here, $80 there.

They had actually started with open source, but everyone considered themselves a professional and thought it was just for charging for a piece of crappy code that only worked half the time.

[phrostbyte]

Well what do you know, that is basically what I have to code for my term project. Can you please PM me a link to the proprietary yellowpage thing?

[LaRoza]

I give a lot of code away for free, usually PHP and ECMAScript.

This sharing of code is good for everybody.

[Rupertronco]

Sharing of code is good for everyone if it's not what you do for a living. It's easy to critique when you have another profession as your primary income. To those who make a living in open source, I applaud you, but it's not viable for everyone, especially people who spend $200,000 on a college education and feel that their time and knowledge is worth getting paid for. (Not every business likes the free software and sell support business model)

I love open source and free software and, I hate the fact that proprietary software limits creativity, progress, and innovation. But still I find myself understanding that people must do such things to pay the bills, and it's easier to criticize when you have another job that takes care of the finances. Not that there couldn't be more comprimise on both sides, but pointing the finger isn't helpful unless you can really put yourself in another's shoes.

[aysiu]

You can charge money for open source software.

For example, if you charged $10 or $50 for the latest binary, some more computer-savvy users might compile the source for themselves for free, but most people will go to the original, official source and pay the money.

MySQL server is open source and freely installable on your own Ubuntu setup, but the MySQL site still sells the MySQL Enterprise for $600-$5000 a year (https://shop.mysql.com/enterprise/).

WordPress is open source and freely installable to your own server, but some people don't want to bother setting up their own MySQL database and upload all the .php files to the right location, so they'd rather get a free account hosted by WordPress.com with limited abilities or pay for a little extra. Those are the same "extra" features you get for free if you install WordPress yourself on your own server and keep track of and apply security updates yourself.

You can make money off open source. Just ask Mozilla or Red Hat.