juridical Question on software and GPL

[Wim De Smet]

On Sat, 27 Mar 2004 14:03:12 +0100
Frank Heckenbach <frank at g-n-u.de> wrote:
> Moritz Sinn wrote:
> 
> > a free software programmer wants to earn as much as a proprietary
> > software programmer ==> free software cannot be cheaper than
> > proprietary software.
> 
> Again, be more careful with your conclusions. Of course, it can be
> cheaper, if it requires less work. This can be easily the case
> because free software often allows for better reuse of existing code
> (legally and technically).
> 
> > the reason why red hat is so successfull is that they don't pay for
> > the capital on base of which they earn money: software. you can say
> > they exploit the free software programmers. so they get software for
> > free out of which they can win surplus value. but this is based on a
> > very small idealistic community of free software programmers who
> > also have to live and earn money and thus will never be able to
> > really overthrow the big business.
> > 
> > microsoft didn't loose any significant share of market in the last
> > years and i don't see why it should.
> 
> I don't know what you see or don't see, but this statement is a non
> sequitur anyway (unless you want to argue that Red Hat can't exist,
> just like you claimed that we can't do what we do).
> 
> Even if your assertions about programmers were true, the fact is
> that the Red Hat and other distributions are there, and anybody can
> get them, without more free software programmers being required.
> 
> > that ppl don't care about quality and that they only see the outer
> > appearance was already mentioned in this discussion. they don't care
> > about their freedom to change the software, to read the source code
> > or what so ever. they just want to use it. if it would be diffrent
> > linux would be on every computer and not windows.
> 
> For many people this may be true today, but even for private users
> it can change. The more people realize the problems of the upgrade
> treadmill, the increasing Big Brother features, the security
> problems (currently mostly in the form of viruses), or even just a
> lower price, and stop falling for the proprietary propaganda, they
> might start caring for freedom (which, though not the only reason,
> makes an imporant difference in all those areas and more). So even
> those who don't want to read source code themselves will see the
> consequences quite clearly.
> 
> Frank

What's the "upgrade treadmill"? (just ouf of curiosity)

greets,
Wim