open source or closed source? was Re: gEDA-user: lost newbie

[Steve Meier <smeier@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In general I prefer open source especially for engineering/science.

Why? Well Tools are never perfect open source lets me fix the tool and
attempt to understand the model.

What if the open source tool doesn't exist or is so far away from having
the required capabilities?

Then it is a mater of is the task more important then the tools. If the
task is more important I use proprietary tools. If the task is less
important then I work on the tools or wait for the tools to mature to
accomplish the task.

What if a user group exists that helps new users and that group is
centered around a closed source tool?

More power to them....

If a new user needs help and the open source users haven't been able to
provide the level of support then is it not better to refer the new user
to the place where they can get the help they need? I prefer to do it in
as friendly away as possible and might even suggest they try the
competition and the open source tools. I would hope as they grow in
capabilities they come back to the open source tools with ideas on how
to improve the tools and they come back ready to help new users themselves.

In general I am not afraid of competition, I think the case for open
source is so overwhelming that it is just a mater of time. Time, good
spirts amoung the developers and the users.

While I am at it.... the pcb project allows for donations through the
sourceforge web site. The Icarus web site also has a donation mechanism
or at least it did the last time I looked. The geda group should set up
some method for donations as should other components. Open Source isn't
free. It is payed for mostly by the developers who donate their time.
Those of us who like these tools can tell the developers how much we
appreciate their efforts by giving at least a little. Those of us who
make a living using these tools should donate a lot. The exception to
this idea is that users such as Karel Kulhavey who are giving away their
work "Ronga" are doing in my opinion as much as the developers are by
promoting the tools. I strongly encourage the active users to work on
the documentation and tutorials to help the new comers.

Peace,

Steve Meier