Co-create the future (Building the myth of free software)

Author: (USA) Werner
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-12-01
Features: This book tells the story of a group of dedicated software experts from around the world who, using their spare time, developed an "open" operating system that could rival Microsoft's Windows. Through engaging explanations, the author introduces readers to such an operating system that anyone can download for free, which sparked a grassroots movement among programmers and triggered a revolution in the software industry—a revolution that could even dethrone the mighty Microsoft in the future—is sweeping across the software field. Bill Gates' dominance over the software industry through the Windows system is facing the strongest challenge in history. A completely new competitor, one that cannot be bribed, controlled, or suppressed by any traditional corporate hegemony model, has emerged. Its name is: Linux. This book tells the story of a group of dedicated software experts from around the world who, using their spare time, developed an "open" operating system that could rival Microsoft's Windows. Through engaging explanations, the author introduces readers to such an operating system that anyone can download for free, which sparked a grassroots movement among programmers and triggered a revolution in the software industry. This book takes us behind the scenes, showcasing the profiles of many of the leaders of this revolution, including Richard Stallman, the founder of the Free Software Foundation, and Linus Torvalds, the creator of Linux. You can learn from it how and why they chose to release their code for free, thereby challenging the hegemony of large companies and giving rise to a new industry dedicated to developing Linux products. The story of Linux has just begun. Here is the curtain raiser for this legendary tale.