[TenTec] "End of an Era"

[Arthur]

Grant Youngman wrote:

>>You try to compare apples and oranges. Obviously, you can't 
>>insert your Mersedes into DVD writer and make another copy.
>>    
>>
>
>Isn't that all the factory does?  :-)
>  
>
Of course, factory does ;-)
However, this is much cheaper to buy own DVD writer than some car 
assembling factory even Chinese one ;-) This is the difference.

>I just don't susbscribe to the notion that someday, through the good hearts,
>fine intentions, selfless generosity, and late nights work for no recompense
>of our fellow hams and other industrious individuals, all necessary software
>will be free, open or not.  Nothing is free -- well maybe sunlight, at least
>for now ..
>
>  
>
This is anecdotal evidence that you may make money on free software. So, 
you may charge for support, customization and stuff like that. This is a 
business like other ones. On the other hand, if you skilled enough, you 
may use if for free and pay for it indirectly such as through some piece 
of code contribution. Believe you or not, this development model works 
well. Of course this is not absolutely free.
Nevertheless, I believe open source is better than proprietary just 
because I have opportunity to customize stuff accordingly my own needs 
and fix critical bugs myself.
I've got a strong supposition that TT would improve the quality of 
firmware just to make it open. Based on history of firmware changes I've 
got an strong supposition they just have not enough time for  proper 
unit test suite or have no time or money to make full/almost full 
automation test coverage of their software. This is ridiculous, they fix 
one feature and another becomes broken. If they just have no time to do 
that, they may have found free developers just by publishing code on 
sourceforge.net. Have no idea why they afraid to do that. Their 
protected by copyright firmware is not a rocket science and can't be 
launched on ICOM and YAESU rigs ;-)