The pendulum has swung in the open source debate

Once upon a time, the term "open source" was coined to save the free-software world from itself. Or, rather, from the free-software zealots, as you can read on the Open Source Initiative's website. Today, I can't help but feel that the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction, where we're so self-satisfied with the money we're making off open source that we have neglected the essential freedoms that make open-source profit possible.

The wake-up call came from Eben Moglen at this year's Executive Radar at the O'Reilly Open Source Conference. Some don't like the way Eben said it. I wasn't in the room to hear it. At any rate, I'm not one for handwringing, and am just glad it was said.

The pendulum has swung in the open source debate.