Does Open Source Matter?

The recent split of the Mambo developers raises this interesting question:

Does Open Source Really Matter?

In other words, does it matter if software is really developed by a collaborative community? Or is it good enough just to be able to get it for free?

Author Bernard Golden has written a very good perspective on this topic, entitled The Difference Between Friend and Faux Open Source. While being tactful enough not to name names, Bernard's article still gives a convincing argument that it does matter, because:

• A collaborative open source community ensures the viability of commercial vendors built around it.
• A truly open community protects users from vendor decisions.

If you have some time, I would highly recommend reading through it.