Ex Microsoft Developer: The Future is Open Source
Dec 03, 2008
Microsoft veteran Keith Curtis proclaims in his new book that the future belongs to open source.
Curtis worked as a Microsoft developer from 1993 to 2004 and was involved in database production and the development of Windows, Office and MSN. In his recently published book, "After the Software Wars", he takes a programmer's view of the future of software development, from A.I. to space travel. The online version of the New York Times has reviewed the book and comments on the ex Redmond employee's change in attitude. "For Mr. Curtis, the strength of open source software, and why it's the future, is all about leveraging our collective intelligence." The key to technological advance is free software, adds Curtis. "The difference between free, and non-free or proprietary software, is similar to the divide between science and alchemy. Before science, there was alchemy, where people guarded their ideas because they wanted to corner the market on the mechanisms used to convert lead into gold." During his time at Microsoft, open source was hardly talked about, says Curtis, and he was of the opinion that proprietary software would always keep the upper-hand over the alternative free technology. Curtis left Microsoft out of sheer boredom, he tells the Times, and it was then he first began to develop an interest in Linux and free software. True to his newly arrived at convictions, Curtis has self-published his book on the Lulu.com platform where it can be downloaded as PDF file for around five dollars. The paperback version costs $19,97. Founder of the Lulu platform is Bob Young, an open source veteran and co-founder of the Linux distributor Red Hat.
(Britta Wuelfing)
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Comments
Open Source Way of the Future
Uncle B Mar 27, 2009 5:30pm GMT
Please donate your old boxes to a church-group or some needy student in these hard times! To comply with the law, and with Microsoft's leasing policy, you can now replace Microsoft OS with the free (download from the net) Ubuntu OS, which can be set to erase the hard drive of all traces of the “illegal to give away ” Microsoft system and your private information, before donation! Now, explain to your lucky recipient that all the manuals they will ever need are available for free on the internet! Just ask for them in Google! OpenOffice, which is installed already is plenty adequate for homework assignments and with a little exploring, everything else can work well too! Happy computing!