Some of these names (like OpenVMS) are from before the term "open source software" was coined (which was in 1998). They refer instead to "open systems", meaning computer systems with published specifications, interoperable hardware, portable software, etc. -- things that might seem like obvious choices now, but were not in early business computing.
Yeah, OpenBSD predates “open source” by a few years and some people actually found the name weird at the time because there was such a strong association with “Open” being used to mean things like “controlled by an industry consortium rather than a single company”.
There was a joke in one of the BOFH episodes (Bastard Operator from Hell for those unfamiliar, look it up if you don't know it, it's worth it) that went like this:
"So I tell him, 'you can't port Debian to a car computer, it's not an open system' ha ha ha ha"
That joke was not about the car computer.
A user called me complaining that he needed more space. I deleted half his data.
Thak makes sense, thank you!
things that might seem like obvious choices now
Not anymore.
Even a heavily proprietary system like iOS is much more of an "open system" in this sense than old mainframes. It uses standard networking protocols, supports programming languages that have published specifications, third-party hardware exists ...
Yeah, but that's because of building upon open systems, not because of consciously following something.
The same reason that USA calls their brand of jingoism "freedom"
its clearly a marketing gimmick. to lend credibility to their products by stealing the goodwill associated with open source initiatives.
its a marketing trick for geeks. these people are jerks.
OpenAI was supposed to make AI R&D basically open for all, but they became closed after they realised how fucking good GPT can be. It's understandable tbh but sad.
They betrayed their core values. Hypocrites to me.
That's what money'll do to ya.
If I was presented with billions of dollars of I went proprietary, I too would probably close source my software.
In an interview Sam altman said "they realise the amount of money they needed would never come only from donations.
It's still kind of a foundation, he mentioned it in the Lex Friedman podcast.
Because they can and the only ethics a company has are those imposed by laws.
Open your wallet and fill ours
Then wait until you learn how Creative bought up OpenAL (the audio answer to OpenGL and having to work with multiple audio extensions), and made it closed source...
Marketing, literally NOTHING but marketing motivates this shit
(American perspective) Because companies are not only allowed to deceive the public for their benefit, it's expected and encouraged.
Pure speculation : the idea of open source sells. It's more appealing than the alternative.
I'm pretty sure someone like my parents has no idea what that even means, though I guess many of these companies might just be targeting younger people more likely to know
Surely the idea of open or free is always going to play better than closed, locked down and proprietary...? idk
Hey, people view something as locked down and proprietary as the Apple ecosystem as a good thing, so not really sure about that.
They just use different language. Vetted. Secure. Walled garden. And suddenly people are okay with it.
It's hard to know for sure why people opt for Apple products... It could be any number of things.
I mean OpenAI used to be opensource with older models or?
OpenAI is used for two companies under one umbrella - OpenAI a non-profit and OpenAI a for profit companies. Basically OpenAI non-profit does research and published it publicly, then OpenAI for profit adds bells and whistles and sells it to recoup costs.
Reminds me of all those countries claiming to be democratic in their name like Democratic Republic of the Congo, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (aka North Korea), etc.
retiolus@lemmy.cat to 
Some of these names (like OpenVMS) are from before the term "open source software" was coined (which was in 1998). They refer instead to "open systems", meaning computer systems with published specifications, interoperable hardware, portable software, etc. -- things that might seem like obvious choices now, but were not in early business computing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_system_(computing)
Yeah, OpenBSD predates “open source” by a few years and some people actually found the name weird at the time because there was such a strong association with “Open” being used to mean things like “controlled by an industry consortium rather than a single company”.
There was a joke in one of the BOFH episodes (Bastard Operator from Hell for those unfamiliar, look it up if you don't know it, it's worth it) that went like this:
"So I tell him, 'you can't port Debian to a car computer, it's not an open system' ha ha ha ha"
That joke was not about the car computer.
A user called me complaining that he needed more space. I deleted half his data.
Thak makes sense, thank you!
Not anymore.
Even a heavily proprietary system like iOS is much more of an "open system" in this sense than old mainframes. It uses standard networking protocols, supports programming languages that have published specifications, third-party hardware exists ...
Yeah, but that's because of building upon open systems, not because of consciously following something.
The same reason that USA calls their brand of jingoism "freedom"
its clearly a marketing gimmick. to lend credibility to their products by stealing the goodwill associated with open source initiatives.
its a marketing trick for geeks. these people are jerks.
OpenAI was supposed to make AI R&D basically open for all, but they became closed after they realised how fucking good GPT can be. It's understandable tbh but sad.
They betrayed their core values. Hypocrites to me.
That's what money'll do to ya.
If I was presented with billions of dollars of I went proprietary, I too would probably close source my software.
In an interview Sam altman said "they realise the amount of money they needed would never come only from donations.
It's still kind of a foundation, he mentioned it in the Lex Friedman podcast.
Because they can and the only ethics a company has are those imposed by laws.
Open your wallet and fill ours
Then wait until you learn how Creative bought up OpenAL (the audio answer to OpenGL and having to work with multiple audio extensions), and made it closed source...
Marketing, literally NOTHING but marketing motivates this shit
(American perspective) Because companies are not only allowed to deceive the public for their benefit, it's expected and encouraged.
Pure speculation : the idea of open source sells. It's more appealing than the alternative.
I'm pretty sure someone like my parents has no idea what that even means, though I guess many of these companies might just be targeting younger people more likely to know
Surely the idea of open or free is always going to play better than closed, locked down and proprietary...? idk
Hey, people view something as locked down and proprietary as the Apple ecosystem as a good thing, so not really sure about that.
They just use different language. Vetted. Secure. Walled garden. And suddenly people are okay with it.
It's hard to know for sure why people opt for Apple products... It could be any number of things.
I mean OpenAI used to be opensource with older models or?
So ExOpenAI?
Kinda lol
Because they're OpenAssholes™
OpenAI is used for two companies under one umbrella - OpenAI a non-profit and OpenAI a for profit companies. Basically OpenAI non-profit does research and published it publicly, then OpenAI for profit adds bells and whistles and sells it to recoup costs.
Capitalism is a hell of a drug
Reminds me of all those countries claiming to be democratic in their name like Democratic Republic of the Congo, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (aka North Korea), etc.
@retiolus
Bona pregunta. Coses del #marketing segurament.
Per això no ens hem de quedar només amb el nom.
I've found that they sometimes mean you can interact with an API instead of only via their interface.
But it's just a marketing term. Open gives the image of freedom and thus peace and happiness.
Damn marketing departments.