Revolution OS (2001)

While Microsoft may be the biggest software company in the world, not every computer user is a fan of their products, or their way of doing business. While Microsoft's Windows became the ... See full summary »

Director:

J.T.S. Moore

Writer:

J.T.S. Moore

Stars:

Linus Torvalds, Richard M. Stallman, Eric Raymond

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Linus Torvalds	...	Himself - Creator, Linux Kernel
Richard M. Stallman	...	Himself - Founder, GNU Project
Eric Raymond	...	Himself - Author
Bruce Perens	...	Himself - Author, Open Source Definition
Larry Augustin	...	Himself - Co-Founder, CEO, VA Linux Systems
Michael Tiemann	...	Himself - Co-Founder, Cygnus Solutions
Brian Behlendorf	...	Himself
Frank Hecker	...	Himself - Former Netscape Systems Engineer
Chris DiBona	...	Himself (Windows Refund Day Scene)
Nick Moffitt	...	Himself (Windows Refund Day Scene)
Rob Malda	...	Himself (On Inflatable Couch)
Donnie Barnes	...	Himself - Employee, Red Hat Software
Susan Egan	...	Narrator (voice)
Marc Merlin	...	Himself (Silicon Valley Linux Users' Group President)
Terry Egan	...	Himself

Storyline

While Microsoft may be the biggest software company in the world, not every computer user is a fan of their products, or their way of doing business. While Microsoft's Windows became the most widely used operating system for personal computers in the world, many experts took issue with Microsoft's strict policies regarding licensing, ownership, distribution, and alteration of their software. The objections of many high-profile technology experts, most notably Richard Stallman, led to what has become known as "the Open Source Movement," which is centered on the belief that computer software should be free both in the economic and intellectual senses of the word. Eventually, one of Stallman's admirers, Linus Torvalds, created a new operating system called Linux, a freely distributed software which many programmers consider to be markedly superior to Windows. Revolution OS is a documentary that examines the genesis of the Open Source Movement, and explores and explains the technical and ...

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Plot Keywords:

computer cracker | computer | software company | free software | microsoft | 

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Taglines:

Hackers, Programmers & Rebels UNITE!

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Genres:

Documentary | Comedy

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Details

Official Sites:

Wonderview Productions [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Swedish

Release Date:

15 February 2002 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Baylands Park - 999 E. Caribbean Drive, Sunnyvale, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$3,500 (USA) (23 August 2002)

Gross:

$3,500 (USA) (23 August 2002)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Wonderview Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

[First Line]
Eric Raymond: I was at Agenda 2000, and one of the people who was there was Craig Mundy, who is some kind of high mucky-muck at Microsoft. I think Vice President of Consumer Products or something like that. And, I hadn't actually met him. I bumped into him in an elevator, and I looked at his badge and said 'I see you work for Microsoft,' and he loked back at me and said 'Oh, yeah, and what do you do?' and I thought he seemed just a tad dismissive. I mean here is the archtypical guy in a suit ...

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Connections

References Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)

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Soundtracks

"The Free Software Song"
Lyrics by Richard Stallman
Performed by The GNU/Stallmans

User Reviews

Informative, but I felt somewhat manipulated

I guess I expected Revolution OS to show not only the history of LINUX and OpenSource but also why these softwares are better than their commercial counterparts. I was pleased with the presentation of the history, as I had not been previously aware of it, but I was less than satisfied with the documentary's complete lack of any demonstration, however brief, of the software and an explanation of why it's better than Microsoft Windows. There's a scene where Bill Gate's is responding to the issue of free software. Some of his remarks make sense- but it was difficult to focus on the ideas because at that point there was absolutely atrocious and intrusive music 'pasted' into the background and I couldn't help feeling that I was being manipulated. I also did not get how some of these developers make their money. Someone has to create the software. This takes time. People have to eat and they need to pay for their food to eat. If they are giving their time away developing free software, where are they getting the money for food? I would have liked the documentary to address that issue. I would also like to say that I do use OpenSource software and find it to be quite good, and since it's free, remarkable. I think the OpenSource movement is revolutionary, but I'm not sure this film brings this across.