[Upd-discuss] number of users of free software

[Mashilamani Sambasivam]

Number of Unique users of free s/w 
should actually read
a+b+c-(a IN b)-(a IN c)-(b IN c)+(a IN b IN c)

Anyways, the main point is if an OS adds
support for 'software that makes other software'
its users rise exponentially.

Masi

--- Adam Moran <adam@webarchitects.co.uk> wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> Sun, 25 Jun 2006 Mashilamani Sambasivam wrote:
> 
> >> For example, let us say that 'a' users use OS
> 'o'. Let
> >> us say 'b' users use another popular language 'l'
> in
> >> OS 'o'. Let us say another 'c' users use the end
> >> applications produced by the language 'l'. Then
> the
> >> net worth of the OS 'o' is not directly
> proportional
> >> to 'a' but is directly proportional to
> >> 'a+b+c-(aINb)-(bINc)-(aINc)-(aINbINc)', where
> >> IN stands for intersection of the sets, where 
> >> c is a big multiple of b.
> 
> Can't think of a when I've had much by the way of a
> set theory, but 
> shouldn't this bit read:
> 
>       a+b+c-(aINb)-(bINc)-(aINc)+2(aINbINc)
> 
> -- Adam
> 
> 
> Sun, 25 Jun 2006 Mashilamani Sambasivam wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> > I read the following in a harvard review article
> > (I dont remember the author) I 
> > happened by chance to read:
> > 
> > Basically its analysis said that microsoft
> > wins over many users not because it
> > has a great OS, but because so many people 
> > made programs that became dependent on the 
> > OS microsoft wrote.
> > 
> > It said that 'making s/w that other people 
> > use to make other s/w is one of the biggest 
> > way of promoting an OS'.
> > 
> > For example, let us say that 'a' users use OS 'o'.
> Let
> > us say 'b' users use another popular language 'l'
> in
> > OS 'o'. Let us say another 'c' users use the end
> > applications produced by the language 'l'. Then
> the
> > net worth of the OS 'o' is not directly
> proportional
> > to 'a' but is directly proportional to
> > 'a+b+c-(aINb)-(bINc)-(aINc)-(aINbINc)', where
> > IN stands for intersection of the sets, where 
> > c is a big multiple of b.
> > 
> > That is, if you make one 'software that makes
> > other software' the use of your OS multiplies
> > exponentially. For example, let us say one
> > OS suddenly provides support to run java
> applications,
> > the users of the OS multiplies exponentially 
> > cos it adds not only java users but also all 
> > the users who want to use the end applications
> > made of java.
> > 
> > MAIN POINT: 'Making software that helps make
> > other software (like gcc, mono, java)' multiplies
> > exponentially the user base. That is one the
> > primary ways microsoft has been winning (eg: word,
> > powerpoint, excel etc).
> > 
> 
> -- 
> Adam Moran
> http://www.webarchitects.co.uk/
> Bridging the Digital Divide
> 
> 
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>
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> 


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