The following is a post that I made on the discussion forum for my Linux Fundamentals class this morning. The topic was whether or not the issue of KDE, a free software desktop environment, using Qt, a (formerly) proprietary GUI toolkit, was a big deal and why. I hope this helps to inform people as to my opinion toward the now-dead KDE/Qt controversy (I removed all of the links.)

software           Katie (last name omitted)                                                          
2/25/2010 8:24:05 AM
I really don’t understand what the fuss is all about with KDE, Qt and the 
develoment of free software. If companies are out to make a persons job 
such as the software developer less stressful by writing less code and 
creating more and in turn making it available for others then it should 
make everyone happy right!? As I research more about the Qt tool kit or 
GNOME, I have to say I am in more favor of GNOME. But I still am getting 
use to the different kinds of options available, nonetheless I am always for 
free software!

RE: software    Robert Ross                                                                            
2/27/2010 9:45:29 AM
Well, Katie – the way I see it – the fuss is all about KDE relying on Qt for its 
sizzle; it’s like finding out that the Christian Children’s Fund (CCF) is 
financed by Cobra (the world domination-seeking military organization, 
not the health insurance extension legislation.)

So you’re like, “aww, that’s great, the CCF saves starving children in third-
world countries!” and you start sending them your money.  But then one day 
you read about how the CCF gets a sizeable charitable donation from 
Destro every year (can we say “tax break?”,) and you’re like, “what-what, 
but he’s a thug!  He just blew up an offshore oil rig the other day!” and then 
you feel cheated and even a little dirty for sending in your twenty cents a 
day, or whatever it is. You suddenly don’t know if your money is going to 
feed starving children, or Sally Struthers, or if it’s going to buy laserguns and 
hand grenades for Cobra’s fight against G.I. Joe.  So what do you do?  
What do you do, Katie?