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From: jtreworgy@eagle.wesleyan.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Software thieves
Message-ID: <685@eagle.wesleyan.edu>
Date: 26 Aug 89 16:57:08 GMT
References: <30706@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> <6846@rpi.edu> <2361@raspail.cdcnet.cdc.com> <6865@rpi.edu> <58013@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu> <6876@rpi.edu> <1160@sas.UUCP> <11682@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu> <387@umvlsi.ecs.umass.edu> <11706@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu>
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In article <11706@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu>, scheer@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu (Wonko the Sane) writes:
> Personally, a system I would like to see would be this:
> 	A programmer is hired by a company to produce a specific piece of
> software for an application desired by that company.  The programmer is being
> employed by the company, and gets paid for his work.  This work is then
> distributed freely, and those that can find a use for this program pay the
> programmer what they think it is worth to them.  If the source is distributed
> at the same time, every single user can become a programmer of improvements or
> a debugger.  This would be a much more efficient way to both improve the
> program and get the program to those who need it.  Essentially, a freeware
> system.  But I am an idealist, and the world is not ideal.  I also think that
> communism as a concept would be a fine thing if it were not completely
> unworkable in a non-ideal system.
> 
> 					Wonko the Sane

This happens now and then, like in the case of SZ and RZ (the ZMODEM programs).
The C source is completely freely distributable. It was paid for by Telenet, I
think. The problem with this is 1) there would be no games. 2) in general this
only happens when a company needs a unique application, which isn't of much use
to most people. I.E., when someone writes a database application for a
business. Costs the business a bundle, but it's only of use to them. For
programs which are of general interest, why should one business pay a fortune
for it and everyone else get it free? They shouldn't. So all the people who
need it share the cost.
 
-- 
James A. Treworgy
jtreworgy@eagle.wesleyan.edu
jtreworgy%eagle@WESLEYAN.BITNET