03.25
There is a saying that if you repeat a lie enough it becomes truth. I think the FOSS crowd are taking this idea and running with it, accusing Microsoft of copying Linux (saying W7 is a copy of KDE), and the usual ‘Redmond Photocopiers’ gags.
So lets just set this straight with a video from 2003 (six years ago) that features window compositing effects including the much touted ‘wobbly windows’ effect.
It’s ironic how much frothing-at-the-mouth crazy goes on when allegations of plagarism are levelled at MS when pretty much everything that Linux claims as original can be traced back to a non FOSS source. Even Linux is just a copy of UNIX.
Also, there is a difference between adopting good ideas and just plain copying. Closed Source will take ideas, but rarely copy whole programs wholesale, where a look through Ubuntu’s repos reveal that over half of the games there are pretty much 99% copys of closed source games. Open Arena? All the various Scorched Earth rip-offs (including a Worms ripoff), ‘Frozen Bubble’, Open TTD, the list goes on and on and on. The rest are also probably copies of games I simply haven’t seen before.
Nobody is less original than the FOSS crowd and steals ideas wholesale (in the name of ‘freedom’) on such a massive level. Accusing anyone of plagarism when your pretty much your whole platform is a copy of other peoples work is a bit rich.
Actually linux is the kernel and is a not copied from unix. Much of the stuff that most linux distributions come with is Gnu stuff, and yes gnu copied unix to a large extent.
Why is it that FOSS advocates only ever say ‘Linux is just the kernel’ when talking to critics (as a way to deflect criticism). You never see them say it when people are promoting it. “Hey, you should try Linux”, “No, Linux is just the kernel, you mean to say a GNU/Linux based distribution”.