Linux creator Linus Torvalds at the Internet World trade show on

Wednesday predicted that the market for operating systems and

other large blocks of software will gradually fade and the

technology will be available for free.  “What will drive the

software industry is special software for special needs,”

Torvalds said.  “Software companies make money off of

personalization, ways for users to get their own Web interface.“During his speech, which centered on Linux’s role in business,

Torvalds criticized several corporate open-source projects,

stressing that open-source is not the most effective model for

all projects.  Specifically, Torvalds cited Netscape’s Mozilla

project, initiated before AOL acquired the company, which focused

on the open-source development of the Communicator Web browser.In addition, Torvalds condemned the widespread corporate use of

the term open source, saying that open means “that you can enter

it and start playing with it and make your own decisions, and you

don’t have to ask permission to start doing stuff.”  The remark

applies to Sun’s use of its Community Source License to partly

open Java and other software while still maintaining control over

the technology.  (C|Net 10/06/99)