Free is too expensive (Economist) [LWN.net]

Free is too expensive (Economist)

Posted Apr 6, 2012 8:24 UTC (Fri) by khim (subscriber, #9252)
In reply to: Free is too expensive (Economist) by Cyberax
Parent article: Free is too expensive (Economist)

That argument is growing old. Mac OS X started from basically the same position as Linux. I.e. no native software and a crufty compatibility layer (Classic Environment vs. Wine) with another major OS.

Situation there is quite different. MacOS was basically frozen when MacOS X was introduced and no new releases were expected. Ever.

Some programs were abandoned as a result, some were ported to new platform but it was never the case that you an access to the new version of a program - but you needed to abandon MacOS X to have it. Well, you had the ability to switch to Windows, but while it had lots of new goodies it also was unable to run lots of old MacOS programs, too.

Wine, on the other hand is always playing catch-up. And the attitude of Linux pundits does not help. Even if someone releases some software for Linux using winelib the reaction is OPEN SOURCE IT UNDER OSI APPROVED LICENSE!!!.

Later the developer does the logical thing: abandons Linux altogether. This is typical response and it creates vicious cycle: some company releases something for Linux, public outcry is “gimme source”, program is withdrawn, Linux is added to blacklist as “don't try this: money sink without any gratitude”, users continue to switch to MacOS X (well, some go back to Windows).

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