[TheOtherHobbes]

It appeals to a certain kind of everyone.

But this always happens in anything that starts out as counter-culture. Always.

First the freaks and the true believers invent something that appeals to other freaks and true believers. Then it gets bigger and becomes a mainstream business. Then eventually it crashes as it starts to feel sterile and commoditised, and it becomes more about management and money than expression.

Then the cycle starts again elsewhere - sometimes with the same people.

(Any similarity to software is intended. Although sadly I think we have too few real freaks and true believers in software. Certainly not too many.)

[jbpetersen]

Any favorite examples of freaks/true-believers in software?

[rogual]

Stallman? Also Erik Naggum springs to mind.

[icebraining]

Erik Naggum's rant against XML, which I discovered thanks to the great uriel's site on harmful stuff, is a treat to read: http://harmful.cat-v.org/software/xml/s-exp_vs_XML

By the way, I wouldn't call him a freak, but I greatly admire Joey Hess, writing great Free software from his off-grid cabin.

[JoeAltmaier]

I don't think it can be said to be 'about money' yet. Still a principle of no commercial presence. Again, got a long way to go yet.