Re: Nanotech: Open Source or Proprietary

From: Robin Hanson (rhanson@gmu.edu)
Date: Wed Jul 12 2000 - 11:20:48 MDT


Charlie Stross wrote:
> > I'll grant this as a possibility, but counter than many people seem way
> > too quick to assume that open source will take over. It is now only a
> > small part of software, and an even smaller part of the other industries
> > I mentioned, many of which have been around a lot longer.
>
>I'm biased, because I'm an open source developer (even if only in
>a small way). However, I wouldn't call 30% of the server market small!
>Open source is also making in-roads in embedded systems. ...

Has anyone made an estimate of the fraction of ability-weighted programmer
hours that goes into open source vs. other software? How about comparable
estimates for related industries like drugs, movies, music, or airlines?

Robin Hanson rhanson@gmu.edu http://hanson.gmu.edu
Asst. Prof. Economics, George Mason University
MSN 1D3, Carow Hall, Fairfax VA 22030
703-993-2326 FAX: 703-993-2323



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