[ Date Index ] [ Thread Index ] [ <= Previous by date / thread ] [ Next by date / thread => ]
On 09/10/10 18:12, Neil Williams wrote: > On Sat, 09 Oct 2010 17:16:15 +0100 > tom brough <tombrough@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > >> It >> is inevitable that projects will fall by the wayside, but sadly this >> does not help to promote the open source cause. > > Wrong. Abandoned upstream projects are never bad for open source / free > software because the licence means that anyone with even a slight > interest can just take a copy of the code and fix it. If the code "Fix" in the context can mean anything from making a few minor changes to a complete rewrite to cannibalising. > really has gone to bitrot, there is usually something which can be > recovered from the remnants - even if it is just the documentation. > > Dead upstream teams are only a problem when nobody has access to the > code. If the ideas behind the projects are sufficiently interesting, > someone will usually take on the project. That's the thing, free > software doesn't come with a warranty, including fit for purpose. Nor does proprietary software. But if (when) it dosn't do what you want it to do your options tend to be rather less that with OSS.
Attachment:
signature.asc
Description: OpenPGP digital signature
-- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/listfaq