Linux: should you make the switch, Nov 15, 2006

Of course, the million-dollar question is obvious: is it worth the switch? Part of the reason that this question is so difficult to answer is because there isn’t just one thing that people call Linux.

To complete previous question, I’d like to ask you, what in your opinion unites the free/open-source software community. What makes individuals to come together? What are the building blocks or are there any?

PJ: There are real differences that I don't minimize but at the moment, the SCO matter makes them fairly unimportant, to me. Later, if everyone wishes to go back to arguing about that, they will have that luxury. There is, however, one part of the old argument that I think we don't need to repeat: namely the value of the GPL. Stallman took a lot of abuse, but he never wavered. I think the entire world owes him a thank you for that. I couldn't have done what he did, year in and year out, being verbally attacked and humiliated and abused, his motives questioned, his personality mocked, his beliefs misrepresented. But because he was firm in his convictions, the GPL stands between us and SCO's attempted software land grab.