Linux / Think Different

[John K. Taber]

Peter Kilander wrote:
> 
> As capitalism continues to commodify -water, healthcare, genes, etc.- is it
> wrong to say that there's currently an attempt to "decommodify" the computer
> operating system? Linux has been in the news lately
> http://www.salonmagazine.com/21st/log/1998/09/29log.html (scroll down)
> There seems to be a question of whether the graphical user interface will be
> free.
> I've also read that it won't be a strong competitor until applications are
> created for it.

I thought that Linux has a graphical user interface, X-Windows, the 
same as for Unix. Or, is X-Windows for Linux a purchase item?

What I see going on is the beginnings of the expropriation of a communal 
operating system. Linux is free, with a Stallman "copyleft" (instead
of "copyright"). Yet, it is already being packaged and sold.

I would hope that this communal operating system can be kept communal, 
and in the tradition of Stallman's GNU.

-- 
I've been able to string more words into fewer ideas than anybody I
know, and I'm continuing to do that.

     - Alan Greenspan to the Senate Budget Committee, Sept 23, 1998