On 8/31/06, krishnakant Mane researchbase@gmail.com wrote:
I don't think this is a proper way of thinking about free software. stealing livelyhood! I can't figure out how is that possible. first of all I will like to know how many computer users are programmers?
I think he's concerned about forking taking away what could potentially be his income. Also, someone posting his software online and thus nobody needing to buy his solution, again putting him at a disadvantage. This is something that will probably happen in case of a GPLed program/suite.
That is probably why FOSS software is mostly free as in beer too; the *support* is sold for a price. The author of the article doesn't say anything about support, but wants people to pay for every copy they buy; kinda like buying a car.
But then he doesn't have to *manufacture* every copy of the software like one would a car; his efforts go into making just one copy. So how right is it to charge for the subsequent copies for which he spends nil?
and second aspect is what Sir Richard Stolman said in the presentation on 27th this month. "if developing a software will need 50000 and if 1000 people are interested, every one only contributes rs 50" so here chances that the
Yes, and that's another thing the author is concerned about I guess. He's afraid that competition will increase a lot, giving more choice to consumers but decreasing his own income, sometimes due to his own making (by releasing code on a Free license).
Regards,