QotD: Lightbulb Goes Off

Apr 15, 2008 at 2:51 PM
2 comments

What was the last great epiphany you had?
Submitted by Ross.

I used to be something of an open source software evagelist - I learned all about Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP back when they were the hot new things to learn. I was a well known developer on the internet - my blog used to get over 1000 hits a day purely because of the stuff I wrote and gave away to the community.

Then (not long ago, actually) I realised that while I wasn't wasting my time learning open source platforms and technologies, the rest of the world was going to buy Microsoft software wether I liked it or not.

It brought to mind an analogy that I heard some time ago - "it's better to be on the train, pissing off, than on the platform, trying to piss in".

I realised it was easier to learn what people want to use rather than try to educate them to use what you think they should be using. A little part of me died when I made the transition, but I don't regret it at all. It will keep my family clothed, and food on our table.

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First, thank you for stopping by my blog. It helped me find yours. I love anything to do with technology, most likely because I am a total dinosaur about it all. I'll find your blog very helpful in future.

Second, I understand the frustration of what you write here. It's terrible when a better product suffers bcause of one that is more well-known and has a bigger advertising budget. The worst part I would imagine for you is that the rest of us won't even know what we were missing. Nonetheless, you made the right decision. Unless you wanted this pursuit to become your personal crusade at the expense of home and hearth.

Oh, and I like the haircut. : )

Nice meeting you,

Patricia

I understand the thought process. My own epiphany was simply that I didn't need to evangelize Free software. I use it because that's what I'm more comfortable with (I have many more hours clocked under Linux than Windows), and if somebody is interested in why my computer looks different they'll ask.