> 2-Microsoft is working toward Windows being freely available (zero cost). This dampens the motivation for an open source alternative.
Zero cost and Open Source aren't mutually exclusive. I could make a wonderful and free (as in beer, ie zero cost) operating system, then fill it with telemetry and other routines phoning home that nobody but me could deactivate, let alone remove, because I'm the only entity having access to the sources. Or, I could give public access to some sources, but prevent any modification+redistribution behind threats of legal action. That's not freedom at all.
Microsoft could reverse the OS cost by sticking a $1000 check to any Windows DVD, that is paying users to install it, but that wouldn't make it a bit more open or more trustworthy.
That's why we refer to our software of choice as FOSS: Free and Open Source Software, which is software that is free as in beer and free as in speech and open.
Should someone manage to put suspicious code into FOSS software, its free and open nature allow the community to discover that malicious code and remove it, fork it if needed, without any fear for litigation, being blocked by restrictive licenses etc.
I don't see Microsoft allowing that anytime soon with Windows or any other of their most important products.
Zero cost and Open Source aren't mutually exclusive. I could make a wonderful and free (as in beer, ie zero cost) operating system, then fill it with telemetry and other routines phoning home that nobody but me could deactivate, let alone remove, because I'm the only entity having access to the sources. Or, I could give public access to some sources, but prevent any modification+redistribution behind threats of legal action. That's not freedom at all.
Microsoft could reverse the OS cost by sticking a $1000 check to any Windows DVD, that is paying users to install it, but that wouldn't make it a bit more open or more trustworthy.
That's why we refer to our software of choice as FOSS: Free and Open Source Software, which is software that is free as in beer and free as in speech and open. Should someone manage to put suspicious code into FOSS software, its free and open nature allow the community to discover that malicious code and remove it, fork it if needed, without any fear for litigation, being blocked by restrictive licenses etc. I don't see Microsoft allowing that anytime soon with Windows or any other of their most important products.