From: Farley Flud Subject: Re: GIMP 3.0.0-RC1 Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.misc,comp.os.linux.advocacy Followup-To: comp.os.linux.advocacy References: <4f7tmjplbte7cnuh2pqrh1fufs4iatv3fd@4ax.com> <8365nj5npp9p4nvnd95p02q1chvtdic9b9@4ax.com> <64kanjpbik33le345pi0n8u5k70fc0l6c7@4ax.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Message-Id: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Lines: 45 Path: ...!weretis.net!feeder9.news.weretis.net!newsfeed.hasname.com!usenet.blueworldhosting.com!diablo1.usenet.blueworldhosting.com!feeder.usenetexpress.com!tr2.iad1.usenetexpress.com!news.usenetexpress.com!not-for-mail Date: Wed, 01 Jan 2025 18:13:48 +0000 Nntp-Posting-Date: Wed, 01 Jan 2025 18:13:48 +0000 X-Received-Bytes: 2521 Organization: UsenetExpress - www.usenetexpress.com X-Complaints-To: abuse@usenetexpress.com Bytes: 2861 On Wed, 1 Jan 2025 11:44:29 -0500, -hh wrote: > > [quote] > Unfortunately, the only way that this point actually becomes > "reasonable" is by finally admitting that many/most Linux fanboys are > chronic consummate cheapskates. > [/quote] > You omit that many/most commercial software packages are EXTORTIONATE in that they capture users via proprietary formats and subscription accounts. The only difference between them and the gangsters of old are the machine guns. I can pay $100 for a 1/2" power drill and I can expect it to last 25-50 years or more. (I inherited a power drill from my grandfather that is almost 70 years old. The only problem is a loose connection in the power cable that can be easily fixed.) That same $100 won't even buy a 1 month subscription for a desktop software package. The situation is borderline criminality. Both software and information want to be free (as in "freedom" and not "beer"). We are seeing this happen. Commercial software on the desktop is an endangered species. I can understand the airline industry paying big bucks for flight reservation software, or the nuclear power industry paying big bucks for control software, but a desktop spreadsheet or word processor is trivial and should cost nothing. Everything done on the desktop has been standardized decades ago. There is no need for commercial software in this arena. -- Systemd: solving all the problems that you never knew you had.