All else being equal, I'd say say open source deserves to be a gold standard for scientific applications. Saying that writing and using applications under other licenses has 'no place in science' is hyperbole, I'll give you that, but along the same dimension I think that using harder-than-necessary terms to encourage preferred practices under scientific ideals falls some distance short of 'exaggerated entitlement and bigotry'.
My statement may have sounded harsh, but it's not hyperbole. I didn't make it to be mean, but I stand by it as a point of fact. Cathal seems to feel he's automatically entitled not only to the fruits of someone else's labor, but also the process, underpinnings, and art involved in producing it. All with the implied threat of criticism of that process and work. That's not a constructive attitude, and it clearly discourages, rather than encourages, open source.
Bigotry is also the correct term to use for this attitude. He has no empirical basis or support for his position, at least that we've heard, yet has a loudly voiced "intolerance toward those who hold different opinions from oneself." He's advocating the attitude that closed source works are not appropriate for the purpose they were intended, essentially telling the authors that their efforts were worthless and even wrong, all based on his unsupported opinion.
I don't think the group should tolerate intolerance. That is my specific critique of this attitude. The sense of entitlement will cure itself though experience.
I'm a strong supporter of open source, much stronger than anyone else here. I've written and worked on a couple open source projects before. I've also threatened litigation over license violations before and achieved compliance, e.g. release of source code. But there's absolutely no reason to be intolerant towards closed source.
This "leave the room because you're not welcome here," attitude towards useful programs that have contributed greatly to science just because they're not open source is simply ugly and counterproductive.
The other arguments seem like potentially valid concerns, yet they don't really hold their water very well with no empirical basis. At best, they are an argument for how open source could potentially mitigate some hypothetical concerns, rather than any valid reason to avoid closed source software tools.
When software authors see intolerance and entitlement arguments as presented here... it quickly and effectively turns them off open source completely.
Imagine a cook with a customer who demands the recipe and to observe the preparation methods. They argue that because they have eaten the dish they are entitled to the list of ingredients. They want to see everything, including the preparation methods, based on the accusation that there may be some poison somewhere in the secret sauce.
Who in their right mind would comply with this? Is the asinine customer going to stop if you give in and release your secret recipe? Or are they going to proceed to criticise each and every ingredient and method? When you demand, insult, cast suspicion, and threaten to boycott and slander someone's product... human nature is for them to give you the big FU, dig in their heels, and prepare for battle.
Hopefully we can be more constructive and tactful in the future, and observe standard scientific decorum when you ask for a "gift", regardless of whether your request is granted.
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