FOSS benefits the field of computer engineering

[Jon maddog Hall]

kent37 at tds.net said:
> Again, this is just learning from experience, it has nothing to do with  FOSS
> specifically. Stick with a closed-source project  for a few release  cycles
> and you will see the same thing.

I will agree with this, but only to a point.  A lot of shops have "coding practices"
that may or may not be useful.  Exposure to many different types of coding methods
makes the better programmer, IMHO, and that leans towards FOSS, where outside
ideas and skills are just as visible as those inside the organization.

I worked with two types of programmers in my very early days.  One type was very
willing to share their code, their ideas and their skills with a young programmer.
The other type was very secretive, and did not share, trying to protect "their edge"
in the company.  This latter group was not very "open". It is from the first set of
programmers that I learned the most.  Ironically (due to good management) it was the
first set of programmers that moved forward in the company.

The benefits of the closed-source project that you espouse are only valid if the
programmer can see the source code for that closed project.  In effect, you are
validating the concept of FOSS over closed source.

md

P.S. I recently ran into one of these programmers after thirty years.  He is with a
VC firm, still just as "giving" and "open" (and technical) as before.  He has offered
to come and speak at the group if people would like tips on how to approach a VC for
funding, or just to understand more about what a VC would be looking for in a company.
-- 
Jon "maddog" Hall
Executive Director           Linux International(R)
email: maddog at li.org         80 Amherst St. 
Voice: +1.603.672.4557       Amherst, N.H. 03031-3032 U.S.A.
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