RE: Linux stifles innovation...

Richard B. Johnson (root@chaos.analogic.com)
Thu, 15 Feb 2001 16:17:20 -0500 (EST)


On Thu, 15 Feb 2001 dave@kd0yu.com wrote:

>
> "I'm an American, I believe in the American Way, I worry if the
> government encourages open source, and I don't think we've done
> enough education of policy makers to understand the threat."
>

It is not American to steal. The first "Flight Simulator" was
published on the PROGRAM EXCHANGE BBS System in the '70s. I know,
with the help of some Turbo Pascal wizards for the graphics, and
my state-machine, written in assembly, I did it. The original idea
was started, and ran in text-mode under CP/M.

The first flight simulator was also very difficult to fly. This
is because I incorporated all the quirks of airplanes, spiral
instability, long-mode oscillations, adverse yaw, etc. I had just
gotten my Commercial Pilot's license at the time and joined AIAA.
Every quirk I could find was built into that simulator.

When M$ copied it, their first releases were also difficult to fly.
Eventually, they understood enough about the code so that they were
able to remove the instabilities and any kid could fly it. Their
introduction into "games" brought them enough money to do anything
they wanted, including continuing to steal.

Again, this is not "American". This is Microsoft.

Cheers,
Dick Johnson

Penguin : Linux version 2.4.1 on an i686 machine (799.53 BogoMips).

"Memory is like gasoline. You use it up when you are running. Of
course you get it all back when you reboot..."; Actual explanation
obtained from the Micro$oft help desk.

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