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Is it true though? Keeping your stuff up and running, patched with the latest security updates takes time. And opensource systems also break compatibility at
by ithkuil 6y ago
Is it true though?
Keeping your stuff up and running, patched with the latest security updates takes time. And opensource systems also break compatibility at times. Sometimes the installation/upgrade process changes over time and you need to learn how to do proper upgrades even if the software technically can be made to work with the rest of the system.
It's hard to quantify, but I don't think it's so clear-cut as Yegge makes it look.
- em-bee 6y agowell, being forced to adapt your system because a service provider is not allowing you to keep it running can be a significant drain on your resources. especially when you can't control when you do it. sure FOSS needs to be upgraded too, and sometimes there is change that you need to adapt to, but you are in control of the schedule, and if you are busy you can delay the upgrade work to when you have time for it. a service being shut down won't give you that flexibility
- ithkuil 6y agoThe timeframe is often quite different: Google gives you 12 months notice before turning off the lights. A FOSS tool "forces" you to upgrade when the old version you're using has a serious security issue that's is not backported. Which means that unless the supported version is fully backward compatible with your software, you have a quite tight schedule to deal with. Sure, you always have the "option" of running insecure systems. Unfortunately a lot of people choose that "option" and severely underestimate its cost...
- em-bee 6y agoyes but, an upgrade with some incompatible changes is still a world of difference compared to potentially being forced to rewrite a whole bunch of code because the system you used is completely discontinued and the alternative that replaces it isn't even remotely similar