5 ms·

No

hx87 10y ago
Could you please elaborate?
- saynsedit 10y ago
  It's a forced comparison. Comparing free software to the US only makes sense at a superficial level. For every successful comparison there are 10x contradictions. I could compare literally anything to the US in the same vein. For example: The US is a lot like a potato: * it's lumpy! Both the US and a potato are irregularly shaped! * it's brownish: the US is a mix ethnically * it's white on the inside: the US is controlled by mostly white people * it's high in carbohydrates: the US has a large GDP etc.
  - pop8row9 10y ago
    Please, could you provide an example of any mutually intelligible comparison which is not forced, and for which there are not 10x contradictions?
    - saynsedit 10y ago
      Are you seriously implying that relevant substantive comparisons don't exist? There are many, for instance: Comparing the US to free software is like comparing monads to burritos.
    - deleted 10y ago
      [deleted]
  - newacct23 10y ago
    He pointed out the parallels between the US and Free software. You have done nothing to refute any of the parallels other than some snarky comment about potatoes which wasn't worth reading. And most importantly there are many governments that are absolutely nothing like the free software ecosystem which gives the analogy worth.
    - saynsedit 10y ago
      The US is as much like Free Software as anything is. That is my point. His comparison is just random fodder based on superficial commonalities. The US is not like Free Software in many important ways: * The US has judges. What is the equivalent of judges in free software? * US law is based on common law. What is the equivalent of common law in free software? * The US has elected representatives. What is the equivalent of elected representatives in Free software. * The US is composed of states, counties, and cities? What are the equivalent states counties and cities in Free Software? * The US has a congress. What is the equivalent in free software? * The US has jails. What is the equivalent of a jail in Free Software? Etc. I could go on and on, but the point really should be obvious by now. The comparison to Free Software is weak and most importantly, unnecessary. China is just as much like Free Software as US is.
  - imgabe 10y ago
    Making your own bad analogy does not prove that a completely different analogy is bad.
    - saynsedit 10y ago
      Good observation, except it isn't a proof, it's an example.
      - imgabe 10y ago
        It is an example. Not very relevant to the point you're trying to make though.
        saynsedit 10y ago
        It's totally relevant to my point but let's ignore that for the moment. Do you agree with the original comparison? Do you think the US is like free software? Or is the US more like Open Source? Is the US BSD or GPL? Is RMS the president of free software? China is a pristine cathedral right?
        imgabe 10y ago
        Do you realize that things can be alike while not sharing every single characteristic in common? If we held that requirement we could only compare two identical things, which would be pointless.
        saynsedit 10y ago
        Okay then, for the sake of the comparison's relevancy to this post, is China the pristine cathedral to the US's bazaar?
        imgabe 10y ago
        It would be in the sense of a greater emphasis on centralized planning compared to the more organic growth of many actors pursuing their own interests in the US. If you're going to complain that China doesn't have stained glass windows and isn't a building made out of blocks of granite, then you've missed the point.
magic_beans 10y ago
> Reading this, I realized the US -- including Silicon Valley -- has many commonalities with the Free Software ecosystem. This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard and barely a comparison.

hx87 10y ago

Could you please elaborate?

saynsedit 10y ago
It's a forced comparison. Comparing free software to the US only makes sense at a superficial level. For every successful comparison there are 10x contradictions. I could compare literally anything to the US in the same vein. For example: The US is a lot like a potato: * it's lumpy! Both the US and a potato are irregularly shaped! * it's brownish: the US is a mix ethnically * it's white on the inside: the US is controlled by mostly white people * it's high in carbohydrates: the US has a large GDP etc.
- pop8row9 10y ago
  Please, could you provide an example of any mutually intelligible comparison which is not forced, and for which there are not 10x contradictions?
  - saynsedit 10y ago
    Are you seriously implying that relevant substantive comparisons don't exist? There are many, for instance: Comparing the US to free software is like comparing monads to burritos.
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
- newacct23 10y ago
  He pointed out the parallels between the US and Free software. You have done nothing to refute any of the parallels other than some snarky comment about potatoes which wasn't worth reading. And most importantly there are many governments that are absolutely nothing like the free software ecosystem which gives the analogy worth.
  - saynsedit 10y ago
    The US is as much like Free Software as anything is. That is my point. His comparison is just random fodder based on superficial commonalities. The US is not like Free Software in many important ways: * The US has judges. What is the equivalent of judges in free software? * US law is based on common law. What is the equivalent of common law in free software? * The US has elected representatives. What is the equivalent of elected representatives in Free software. * The US is composed of states, counties, and cities? What are the equivalent states counties and cities in Free Software? * The US has a congress. What is the equivalent in free software? * The US has jails. What is the equivalent of a jail in Free Software? Etc. I could go on and on, but the point really should be obvious by now. The comparison to Free Software is weak and most importantly, unnecessary. China is just as much like Free Software as US is.
- imgabe 10y ago
  Making your own bad analogy does not prove that a completely different analogy is bad.
  - saynsedit 10y ago
    Good observation, except it isn't a proof, it's an example.
    - imgabe 10y ago
      It is an example. Not very relevant to the point you're trying to make though.
      - saynsedit 10y ago
        It's totally relevant to my point but let's ignore that for the moment. Do you agree with the original comparison? Do you think the US is like free software? Or is the US more like Open Source? Is the US BSD or GPL? Is RMS the president of free software? China is a pristine cathedral right?
        imgabe 10y ago
        Do you realize that things can be alike while not sharing every single characteristic in common? If we held that requirement we could only compare two identical things, which would be pointless.
        saynsedit 10y ago
        Okay then, for the sake of the comparison's relevancy to this post, is China the pristine cathedral to the US's bazaar?
        imgabe 10y ago
        It would be in the sense of a greater emphasis on centralized planning compared to the more organic growth of many actors pursuing their own interests in the US. If you're going to complain that China doesn't have stained glass windows and isn't a building made out of blocks of granite, then you've missed the point.

> Reading this, I realized the US -- including Silicon Valley -- has many commonalities with the Free Software ecosystem. This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard and barely a comparison.