Monday, April 18, 2005

The Age of Participation

Nearly thirty years ago, Microsoft Chief Software Architect Bill Gates posted An Open Letter to Hobbyists in the monthly newsletter MITS Computer Notes, proposing that software should not be free.

Yesterday, Sun Microsystems President and COO Jonathan Schwartz posted The Age of Participation: Obstacles and Accelerants in his blog, proposing that all traditional software will ultimately go to free.

Bill's letter speaks of kicking hobbyists out of club meetings. Jonathan's presentation speaks of a connected world. Indeed, times have changed.

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