[kelnos]

This line in the second paragraph killed the author's credibility/objectivity for me; I didn't even get to the bit you reference:

> an unusual open-source alliance has formed among developers who want handouts

Handouts? Really? I've been an open source user and developer for decades now, and... "handouts"? I'm not even sure what to say to that.

At this point in my life I'm convinced that the style of capitalism practiced in the US is a failure. It gives you a lot of initial gains (which are, no doubt about it, quite important) but ultimately creates an untenable, inhumane situation for lots of people. I'm not convinced that European-style socialism (whatever that is; it's not like all the European countries are united on that front) is the answer either, though. I think a unique blend of capitalism and socialism is likely the only way forward without further wealth concentration and income inequality (not to mention planetary-scale ecological destruction, since the current forms of capitalism don't incentivize us to pursue sustainability in the long term). I'm not sure what that blend is, and I'm increasingly pessimistic that the people in power will allow us to get there, even if the alternatives will be disastrous for them as well.