Open source software only comes in one edition: awesome.

#1

Post by fogus » Thu, Jul 02, 2009, 6:08 PM UTC

Open source software only comes in one edition: awesome.
codinghorror.com

Re: Open source software only comes in one edition: awesome.

#2

Post by sunir » Thu, Jul 02, 2009, 6:40 PM UTC

That's hardly the case. In Jeff's words, I dare you, double dog dare you to count the number of Linux distributions. Each version satisfies a different customer target, same as each version of Basecamp satisfies a different type of company.

Re: Open source software only comes in one edition: awesome.

#3

Post by drcode » Thu, Jul 02, 2009, 6:46 PM UTC

can we please stop using the word "awesome" already?

:)

Re: Open source software only comes in one edition: awesome.

#4

Post by whughes » Thu, Jul 02, 2009, 6:47 PM UTC

sunir wrote: post #2

That's hardly the case. In Jeff's words, I dare you, double dog dare you to count the number of Linux distributions. Each version satisfies a different customer target, same as each version of Basecamp satisfies a different type of company.

Let's just look at the list of Ubuntu editions, since that's comparable directly to Windows or Mac OS X.

Ubuntu

Kubuntu

Edubuntu

Xubuntu

Lubuntu

Fluxbuntu

Mythbuntu

Ubuntu JeOS

Ubuntu MID

Ubuntu Netbook Remix

Ubuntu Studio

Re: Open source software only comes in one edition: awesome.

#5

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Jul 02, 2009, 6:48 PM UTC

whughes wrote: post #4

sunir wrote: post #2

That's hardly the case. In Jeff's words, I dare you, double dog dare you to count the number of Linux distributions. Each version satisfies a different customer target, same as each version of Basecamp satisfies a different type of company.

Let's just look at the list of Ubuntu editions, since that's comparable directly to Windows or Mac OS X. Ubuntu Kubuntu Edubuntu Xubuntu Lubuntu Fluxbuntu Mythbuntu Ubuntu JeOS Ubuntu MID Ubuntu Netbook Remix Ubuntu Studio

[deleted]

Re: Open source software only comes in one edition: awesome.

#6

Post by MicahWedemeyer » Thu, Jul 02, 2009, 6:50 PM UTC

Heck, thanks to github, OSS spawns a new "edition" as fast as someone can click the fork button.

Not that I'm complaining! It's nice to be able to find a project abandoned by the original dev, but picked up by a 1/2 dozen other people.

Re: Open source software only comes in one edition: awesome.

#7

Post by bad_user » Thu, Jul 02, 2009, 6:50 PM UTC

sunir wrote: post #2

That's hardly the case. In Jeff's words, I dare you, double dog dare you to count the number of Linux distributions. Each version satisfies a different customer target, same as each version of Basecamp satisfies a different type of company.

The point is that features in a Linux distribution are not cut out because of "consumer surplus". They are customized to make certain tasks easier for some people ... but the various distributions don't have artificial limitations.

Say you are tired of KDE in Kubuntu, you just "apt-get install gnome-desktop". You are tired of Apache, then "apt-get install lighttpd". Defaults are not limitations.

And seriously, most people pick one distribution and stick with it. I'm using Debian for everything ... work servers, laptop, home station. OK, to be honest the home station has Ubuntu on it, but that's still 95% Debian.

And, if there's a feature missing (like hardware limitations), you are most likely to fix it with a kernel upgrade, or with a patch someone on the mailing list gives you for free.

Re: Open source software only comes in one edition: awesome.

#8

Post by mikeryan » Thu, Jul 02, 2009, 6:52 PM UTC

whughes wrote: post #4

sunir wrote: post #2

That's hardly the case. In Jeff's words, I dare you, double dog dare you to count the number of Linux distributions. Each version satisfies a different customer target, same as each version of Basecamp satisfies a different type of company.

Let's just look at the list of Ubuntu editions, since that's comparable directly to Windows or Mac OS X. Ubuntu Kubuntu Edubuntu Xubuntu Lubuntu Fluxbuntu Mythbuntu Ubuntu JeOS Ubuntu MID Ubuntu Netbook Remix Ubuntu Studio

But AFAIK they all cost the same price?

Re: Open source software only comes in one edition: awesome.

#9

Post by mcantor » Thu, Jul 02, 2009, 6:52 PM UTC

drcode wrote: post #3

can we please stop using the word "awesome" already? :)

I upvoted you because we really should stop, but I still can't bring myself to remove "awesome" from my vocabulary. Modern slang has made it the apotheosis of coolness; its appeal is irresistible to me.

In my own defense, whenever I say "This terrifying thunderstorm is awesome," I mean it in the classic sense as well as the colloquial. :->

Re: Open source software only comes in one edition: awesome.

#10

Post by mcantor » Thu, Jul 02, 2009, 6:57 PM UTC

bad_user wrote: post #7

sunir wrote: post #2

That's hardly the case. In Jeff's words, I dare you, double dog dare you to count the number of Linux distributions. Each version satisfies a different customer target, same as each version of Basecamp satisfies a different type of company.

The point is that features in a Linux distribution are not cut out because of "consumer surplus". They are customized to make certain tasks easier for some people ... but the various distributions don't have artificial limitations. Say you are tired of KDE in Kubuntu, you just "apt-get install gnome-desktop". You are tired of Apache, then "apt-get install lighttpd". Defaults are not limitations. And seriously, most p…

I strongly agree... I think the OP of this threads' contention is not in the same spirit as Mr. Atwood's. I think this Coding Horror post was lamenting the existence / necessity of the "pricing tiers" common in commercial software.

Linux distributions, and even versions of Ubuntu itself, are not organized in a "tier" layout, where Tier N has X more features than Tier N - 1, or Tier N's features have X more capacity.

Linux distros and Ubuntu versions, on the other hand, are organized horizontally: They don't have better features (per se), but different features.