I picked up this documentary through Netflix, and I really enjoyed it. I have been a fan of the Open Source movement and Linux since I started getting into it in college. I have gone full-blown Linux a few times, but have always ended up switching back to Windows for some reason or another (most recently because I wanted to be able to play World of Warcraft on the road). And now, working for Microsoft, I have less opportunity to play with Linux because I have to have Windows and IE for work. That's part of the reason for moving this site to an Ubuntu box rather than IIS on Windows XP, but that's a story for another time. Back to the movie.

I knew a bit about Richard Stallman, but not really how he got started in the FSF or how Linux and GNU really got intertwined. So Revolution OS was a good overview of the history. It was a well done documentary, but from a film standpoint, there wasn't anything terribly groundbreaking. The presentation was such that I think someone with only a rudimentary familiarity with computers would still get a lot from watching it.

I think one of the most interesting things about the film was learning about the rather hippie-ish Stallman/FS philosophy, and seeing its contrast to the more business approach to Open Source. There was definitely a difference in the way Torvalds and Stallman made their arguments when talking about OS. Anyway, there's not a whole lot more to say. It was an interesting and well-done documentary about a subject that I enjoy. What else do you need to know? :-)

Revolution OS at IMDB.com