Meeting-20080423

ATTENTION you must RSVP by email to bethlynneicher@gmail.com OR write your name below

• Beth Lynn Eicher
• Vance Kochenderfer
• James B. D.
• David Ostroske
• Jason F.
• Greg A.

Table Topics: What do you get for free?

Western PA Linux User Group will hold their third "Table Topics" meeting on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at John Harvard's Brew House in Wilkins Township. The topic will be "What do you get for free?" The meeting facilitator will be Beth Lynn Eicher.

"Table Topics" meetings are a relaxed environment where we discuss current Linux and Open Source issues. A facilitator picks a topic and prepares questions for those gathered to generate conversation. New Linux users and the curious are encouraged to attend.

Much of Linux and open source software is possible due to the efforts of people who create products and services without getting a paycheck for doing so. This is accomplished by individuals, communities, and corporations. Why do people do what they do for free? Are there other benefits or other currencies that are exchanged? Can a project that is currently free become a for-profit company without angering the current user community? Can a project that is currently commercial become free software without losing the user and customer base? How can a for-profit effectively company use free community resources?

Discuss this topic now!

Here you are encouraged to begin the discussion by posting articles supporting the topic.

• Study Finds "Free Open Source Software Is Costing Vendors $60 Billion"
  • Or should that be, "Free Software Saves Users $60 Billion"?

Meeting Discussion Points

To be added at the meeting.

Add your thoughts here!