Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uflorida!gatech!emory!stiatl!john
From: john@stiatl.UUCP (John DeArmond)
Newsgroups: gnu.misc.discuss
Subject: Re: Media cost
Message-ID: <6150@stiatl.UUCP>
Date: 28 Jul 89 05:01:30 GMT
Reply-To: john@stiatl.UUCP (John DeArmond)
Organization: Sales Technologies Inc., "The Procedure IS the product"
Lines: 25

In article <248@unmvax.unm.edu> mike@unmvax.cs.unm.edu (Michael I. Bushnell) writes:
>In article <PAUL.89Jul26160204@morganucodon.cis.ohio-state.edu> paul@cis.ohio-state.edu writes:
>
>>I though the idea was _Free_ software.  I could understand $50--$100
>>in media cost for disks; $500 is a bit steep.
>
>"Free" as in "you are free to do with this program as you please" not as
>in "you get this program for no money."  

Actually, it mean both in most cases.  When I release public domain or
not-for-sale software to the public, I am making it available for any
use whatsoever (by legal definition of public domain) and available
at no cost (for not-for-sale software).  There should not, however,
EVER be any expectation that those who collect and organize the code, 
write documentation, put it on media and ship it to you should work 
for free.  Media and preparation charges are perfectly legitimate
and fit in the spirit of public domain.  Of course, if someone wants
to do this for free, he can.  He simply is not obligated to.

John

-- 
John De Armond, WD4OQC                     | Manual? ... What manual ?!? 
Sales Technologies, Inc.    Atlanta, GA    | This is Unix, My son, You 
...!gatech!stiatl!john    **I am the NRA** | just GOTTA Know!!!