Star Free Can Mean Big Money: The Open Source Economy
Linked by David Adams on Mon 16th Aug 2004 17:44 UTC
Editorial I read something in one of the comments for an OSNews posting a couple weeks ago that sent me thinking. It wasn't an original or profound thought. In fact, it's a rather commonly-held opinion that happens to be quite misguided. It's an opinion summed up by the "open source = communist" meme that gets thrown around in thousands of flamewars all over the internet. In this essay, I will explore why this idea is wrong and demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of economics.
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@Devon
by Smartpatrol on Mon 16th Aug 2004 21:28 UTC

And at one time many corporations probably felt the same way about their $10,000 dollar software too. ;)

I am sure they did LOL!

Would you feel the same way if others where selling equivilent software for $19.95? Or gving it away as a free download?

I predict Microsoft would compete by creating a better product or a better value. Seriously what better motivation to create something better than MS Office then to make some cash doing it? I use postfix and think it is the best Open Source mail programs in existence. What do you think would make it as good as MS exchange faster, a "Good job" and a thanks for the free stuff! to Wietse Venema or a two million dollar venture capital investment into Wietse's work.(Wietse if i had the money i would hook you up! ;)

Software is nothing. It has no intrinsic value simply by existing like material goods do. It costs nothing to reproduce. The only value that a program has is the value we artificaly assign it.

Well you discount the wages to coders, R&D, Marketing and god knows what else that goes into creating something like MS Office. Granted i am sure that MS turns a profit on the investment shortly after they release a software product such as Office. However I don't resent Microsoft for making money like many people here seem to do.