Toolkit

Story: Proprietary software: A defence

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Echoing the sentiment of the first comment here: interesting but irrelevant article.

1. GPL and proprietary software are not at complete odds. Nothing to stop companies writing proprietary applications for Linux, and make money, create jobs etc. etc as author has advocated. GPL only covers MODIFIED code, not completely new intellectual property. Have a look at Oracle and Sun and a host others' portfolio offerings.

2. Article does nothing to address the concerns of developing countries which lead to preference of open-source software. Mainly

- a question of trusting Microsoft Proprietary software at the moment mainly means windows + MS office in government procurement. They fear, rightly, of lock-ins and lack of choice later on.

- IT expenditure flowing out of their country. Money going to US and western Europe is money down the drain when you have open-source solutions. Far better to see the same money going to local support infrastructure and stimulate local IT skills development, either in support of specific application development.

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