Customer Reviews

Revolution Os

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Being a geek, I bought this assuming it was going to be a dry documentary on the history of Linux, but I would enjoy it anyway. I was amazed at how well done this movie is. Not only does it document the general history of Open Source and Free Software issues, but it provides a great story of conflict between 'good' (Free Software and Open Source) and 'evil' (Proprietary Software). I watched this with my girlfriend who is a non-geek and she was able to follow along very easily and enjoyed the movie as much as I did. She even wanted to make the switch to Linux after watching.

The pace is quick, and one of the best aspects of the movie is the music. It helps keep the movie fun and light-hearted, yet provides an intelligent 'edge' at the same time. All of the interviewees have very unique and dynamic personalities; they are the type of thinkers you don't generally meet everyday. Richard Stallman in particular has some of the most convincing comments in the film, and by the end, I was quick to pop in the second disc to see the bonus interviews with him.

Overall, I think this is a film which anyone who uses a computer on a regular basis should watch. We need to not take Microsoft for granted and realize there are alternatives that don't try to control what we do.

This is one of the best movies I've seen.

This documentary uses interviews to trace the origins of Linux, and in the process, it provides an interesting insight into the open source movement and its philosophy.

Richard Stallman, founder of the GNU project, is featured prominently throughout the film. (GNU is a set of applications that provide a UNIX-compatible framework.) He explains how GNU was developed through the open source environment, an environment where code can be taken, modified, and shared, but it cannot be made proprietary. He also explains the development of the GNU General Public License which prohibits developers from making the code proprietary.

During GNU's development, Linus Torvalde, was developing a kernel--which was just the piece that was missing from the open source environment. (A kernel is use to allocate resources to other applications.) This kernel became Linux. As Stallman said, it would take years to get GNU and Linux to work together smoothly, but eventually things would take off. Although Linux started in 1991 with 10,000 lines of code, it might have remained a hobbyist's OS, if it had not been for the Apache web server. Apache became the 'killer app,' the business case for buying Linux. (There is an interview shown with Brian Behlendorf, president of the Apache project.) By 1998, Linux had 7.5 million users and companies like Red Hat were contributing to its growth by selling distribution and support.

This film also shows the tug-of-war between Microsoft and open source proponents. Eric S. Raymond, author of The Cathedral and the Bazaar, describes some differences between the proprietary and open source environments, and he explains how his book was one of many influences on Netscape's decision to release their source code.

You will see interviews with Michael Tieman (co-founder of Cygnus Technology) and Larry Augustin (co-founder of VA Linux). The interview with Bruce Perens, author of Open Source Definition, is interesting. It is used throughout the film to frame the GNU and Linux development stories within the open source context. Also, as Perens lists the 'rights' of open software, one senses that the open source philosophy is one that has been seriously thought out.

Overall, this was an interesting documentary. However, I'm giving it only 4 stars because I found the segment at the end (where Torvalde and Augustin were speaking) to be very tedious. It didn't add to the content and it seemed more like personal 'grand-standing.' Still, I'd recommend this film to anyone who is interested in computer history or is looking to get a better understanding of what the open source movement is about.

This is an excellent follow-up to a set of three movies entitled "Triumph of the Nerds", which details the development and successes of Microsoft, Apple, the Internet, IBM PCs, Altair, etc, but which came out in the mid-1990s, and doesn't mention much about Linux. Also, the mood of all these movies is similar. They belong together for a great summary of the development of personal computing since the 1970s, and all are full of interviews with the key players.

It comes with 2 DVDs, the first one is the Revolution OS movie and the second one contains interviews and bios of those well known anti-microsoft gangs like Richard Stallman, Eric Raymond, Linus Trovalds, etc. In the first DVD, it's not really a movie but a kind documentary film. No subtitle but closed caption is supported. Unlike Starup.com movie, this film gets a bunch of well-known gangs who devote themselves to the free & open software revolution to talk about 'how' the free software and open source evolve and 'why' it is getting more & more attention from industrial leaders. It also highlights some companies betting on Linux and open source getting rich at IPO during the Internet bubble, but not forgets to conveying audiences the message that most of those instant millionaires were broke overnight after the bubble busted.

If you're not familiar with open source or free software, I recommend you should put on the disc#2 and watch the Bios section first. Since the movie in disc#1 embeds a lot of people talking and comments, you may find confusion of who & what. In disc#2, besides the bios and some interviews, interestingly, it also includes the first version of the famous well-known paper written by Eric Raymond, 'Cathedral and Bazaar'. This paper actually played a very critical role on Netscape's direction to the open source world. You can read it from your TV screen, and press your remote `back' and `fore' to flipping pages. Although this is convenience for people who do not have computer and read the paper on TV screen, you may find it's quite annoying to flipping and reading twenty something screen pages on your TV. After a while you may feel dizzy. Unfortunately, the DVD does not come with a PDF or other softcopy version of this famous paper in the open source world. If you are interested on how Netscape went to the open source path, there's another good documentary film called 'Code Rush' from PBS, you may also want to check out.

Overall, this is quite informative, knowing how the free/open software revolution begins and the reasons behind it. If you want to have a good intro of this open source communities, this is a pretty good choice.

It is not often when you find a truly amazing and intriguing documentary but this is it! True, it is about Linux and it's history, but that does not mean you have to be a computer "geek" to enjoy it, although I'll admit it would help you understand it more. Everything is so well done, from the interviews, to the cinematography, and even to the research that went into the movie. I had know idea that Linux was even that big or part of this phenomenal computer movement, but know I feel completely versed about it! This is a must see for anyone, especially if you have an interest in computers.

One of the sidestories of this movie is pitting the open source guys (Torvalds, Raymond, etc) against the Free software guys (Stallman,Tiemann). In the movie, the open source guys always seem to be coming out on top--bigger IPOs, more money, more prestige. A typical scene: Stallman is onstage trying to explain why "free software" is the preferred nomenclature, when one of Torvald's kids comes out and totally steals the scene by toddling across the stage, all cute and cuddly. All eyes on Torvalds--while Stallman valiently presses on, talking to a roomful of people who are too busy cooing over the toddler to listen to him.

However, after re-watching this movie after several years, what stuck me is how subsequent events turned out. All the free software guys are basically doing better than ever, whereas the Open sourcers have all had to reinvent themselves several times. Perens has wandered from company to company. Larry Augustine's VA linux was the biggest boom an the bigest flameout. Poor Eric Raymond can only watch his influence slip away bit by bit, as he issues ever more bizzare screeds in some desperate search for relevance.

Its fashionable in certain circles to dismiss Richard Stallman as being some sort of ideological nut-job, but lets please give him the respect due: Richard Stallman created our world.

This is a well put together retrospective detailing the motives, methods, and history of the free software movement and the open source movement. Best of all, it is entirely told through interviews with the community leaders who have been directly involved in it (namely Richard Stallman, Eric Raymond, Bruce Perens, Linus Torvalds, and several others). It is straightforward, interesting, and very well edited, with an excellent soundtrack. It makes a great follow-up to Robert Cringley's "Triumph of the Nerds" and "Nerds 2.01." It is also notably apolitical, painting a very factual, unbiased, orderly picture of events (and certainly one that will anger those who like to rewrite history). It does get a bit thick towards the end, focusing on the business aspect, but not enough to jump the shark.

This film is a very good at getting across the principles of open software, in a way even a non-technical person can understand. Highly recommended.

So you've heard about Linux and maybe BSD and you're wondering . . . What is it? Who thought of it? Who makes it? Why do I care?

All of these questions are answered by some of the biggest names in the open source and free software movement.

The documentary begins by looking at the philosophy of those who started the free software movement and how it produced the ethos behind the GNU license. It then looks at the creation and expansion of Linux and Linux software, the renaming of the movement by most to "open source" as opposed to "free software," the development of applications by masses of programmers and the delivery of open source software to the average joe.

The subjects are allowed to be themselves. Sometimes that means they are arrogant and preachy, but if that element had been taken out of the story it wouldn't have been genuine.

Far from downplaying the role of the unknown programmers, the main argument between the participants concerned who should get the credit for making this type of collaborative programming possible and what that effort should be called.

The documentary also discusses the effect of open source software on people's daily lives. Most don't know how the Apache web server helped ISPs economically provide web pages that were not available from "commercial" software, nor do they realize the changes the movement has forced on Microsoft and other large commercial software companies.

It's everything a good documentary should be: informative, interesting and entertaining . . . even if you don't agree with those interviewed or the open source movement.

Great movie. Wow the part about Cygnus was wonderful. The Open Source movement misses the point on freedom but that is an idealogical debate that movies like this are bound to spark. The producer was on TLLTS in about episode 179 or so and that was sooo good. I heard about the movie from google first and downloaded parts of it but I did actually buy it before the guy was on TLLTS. The Linux Code movie is also being pirated and I learned of and got it from google video now I want to buy it but it seems the company has gone belly up already. Free media and software companies need to do well and we need them to do very well. We need this stuff. The point of GNU FREE is not free as in cost. It is not even about better quality. The point of GNU FREE is not about making the rich CEOs of Red Hat and Novel even richer. It is FREEDOM FREEDOM all the time and in every way. All of the other points are just tools to acquire and spread that FREEDOM. BUY THIS MOVIE!

The quote I used in my title is the opening clip in this documentary. Right off the bat hearing this you know your about to learn about something interesting.

There are many movies and documentaries created about Microsoft and Macintosh, not so much about Linux. As a life long Windows OS user, I knew little about Linux and it's history. I'm sad to say I didn't even realize that the Linux OS and Open Source Software were even connected by the same people. Revolution OS contains a wealth of info about the creation of Linux and it's impact on the computer world.

This documentary takes you on the twenty year history through the creation of Linux. It's actually narrated by the people who worked on the operating systems development, such as Richard Stallman and Linus Torvalds. You can't get better than hearing the history of the operating system than from the programs authors themselves.

Revolution OS goes into more than just the development of Linux. It talks about the GNU Project, the free software movement, open source code, etc. It shows how all these are tied into the creation and growth of Linux. It explains how heart of the Linux OS/GNU Project is to get good open source code software into the hands of everyone, who then can change the code to improve it. The idea being positive growth in numbers of people using the software by letting everyone have the ability to access the source code to turn the program into exactly what they need, and then redistributing it to even more users.

While this film will be most enjoyed by those of us who take pride in the term "computer geek", it can be understood and followed by most audiences. A great lesson in the history of the Linux operating system.