open-source software for bioinformatics (was Re: Unix vs Linux - the movie.)

[Michael Schmitz]

Kevin Karplus wrote:
> I susggest it is because some people do not want to pay for software
> (though they seem to have no objection to paying enormous amounts for
> reagents and lab equipment).  We routinely see requests on bionet
> newsgroups for help in stealing software.

Wow, that's a new low. I've always considered these posts to be the
normal usenet noise,  crossposted everywhere by these poor souls. Or
rather, I recall nothing bioinformatics specific from those requests. 

Most of the people posting on this thread have emphasized on the peer
review aspect of open sourcing software, not the cost aspect (insofar as
they posted in favor of open source software). Color me naive, but I
have no reason not to take their posts at face value. 

	Michael