It's been a long time since I started this thread, but whatever. SuSE Linux costs money because they provide you with 5 CDs, 2 double sided DVDs, and 2 manuals, for heaven's sake. They also give tech support, and lots of tools within the OS (like YaST, susewatcher, suseplugger and others). Man, if you paid $90 you would expect more than Ubuntu provides (I'm not saying that Ubuntu is bad; in fact, I find it somewhat easier to use than SuSE, and it's live CD, which I didn't get with SuSE, runs faster than SuSE on my aged computer). Overall, I feel satisfied with my purchase.
As far as my dad supporting Linux, he only supports Windows. I can imagine why. He supports SQL Server rnning on Windows at work, so I think the reason is obvious.
Compiling sources? I never have done that, and don't plan to. If I need something, I find an RPM, or forget about it.
Back to the real discussion, open source software is free in rights as well as price (SuSE Linux doesn't count, because they do charge for effort put into distrubuting and supporting their products). I haven't found any open source apps on SourceForge that had a price tag on hem, so let's end the discussion here.

I totally agree that Microsoft isn't the greatest company in the world, but because they have the brains that started them, they were able to take over the industry, almost completely. See when Bill Gates started Microsoft, he didn't start it with a blank screen on his computer. He started it by purchasing an operating system from someone, which was called DOS. He then took that and then changed it and developed onto it to make it what it is today! They are only doing what they have felt was necessary to bring them out of their garage and become a company. So therefore Microsoft being bound within the legal limits of that Disk Operating System that they purchased, it wasn't theirs to change. But yet they did it anyway! You can go on the internet and find something called a de-compiler, adn then de-compile the programs you have and see the source code. Many people take the time to do things like that. I mean, if you really aren't happy with being confined withing the restrictions that Microsoft sets for you, then make a difference, and don't complain. I have some software that I have written or found online, that I have changed. My entire computer runs on open source software except for the version of Windows XP operating system.

For example. If you don't like the way Microsoft Office works or limits you, then you can go to www.openoffice.org and download that! You can get the source code for it and then make the different changes that you want.

I don't mean to be complaining. But when people complain about Microsoft or open source, I am usually right there with them, because a group of my friends are trying to attemp to bring our world to an Open Source world. We are not doing it for money! We are doing it to bring the freedom of controling your computer to the world. Not being limited to the restraints that someone sets for you! It is your computer! You should be able to control your computer, so therefore, an open source society will make life alot easier!

If you then want to join a team of Open Source Programmers, you should make a post that will make it known that you are trying to make a difference. Or even produce a website for your projects so that you can bring the world, or community into knowing that Open Source is here! Trust me, it is here!

Thanks for listening to my ranting and raving, but Windows and Microsoft are not that bad of a company. Linux is amazing, I use it at school for my movie productions. Along with Mac OSX, which is also a great OS, things like this are bringing the world together.

~Turn Off The Light~

I am sort of with the open source movement - I have a site with the open source Mambo CMS, I use the open source Mozilla Firefox upon occasioon, and other programs that I mentioned earlier. One of the things I like about open source software - you usually (not 100% of the time) don't have to be an administrator on Win 2000/XP based machines to install these programs. They may have a couple of bug the first time, and a slightly different approach to doing things from the conventional commercial software, but I feel that these differences are worth it.

Open Source is my favorite thing in the world, I can name hundreds of open source linuxes alone.
I use myself, many open source programs and scripts like phpbb, POST-nuke, PhpBB-Plus, etc.
Open Source is SWEEET!