Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!sli!rich
From: rich@sli.com (Rich K. Braun)
Newsgroups: gnu.misc.discuss
Subject: Re: Copywrongs
Message-ID: <1989Sep7.192142.11623@sli.com>
Date: 7 Sep 89 19:21:42 GMT
References: <11143@watcgl.waterloo.edu> <8908182307.AA11856@nlp9> <12440@s.ms.uky.edu> <2574@trantor.harris-atd.com> <10512@claris.com> <2602@trantor.harris-atd.com>
Reply-To: rich@sli.UUCP (Rich K. Braun)
Organization: Software Leverage, Inc. Arlington, MA
Lines: 26

In article <...> bbadger@x102c.harris-atd.com (Badger BA 64810) writes:
>I think that software prices are inflated to beyond what the market will 
>bear.  I think FSF will have a healthy influence, by forcing the
>market to respond with cheaper and better software.  
>

Welcome to Economics 101.  The statement that prices are inflated "beyond"
what the market will bear is obviously false if you think about it even
for a second.  Prices are currently, and always will be, set at precisely
what the market will bear.  To make more money, a company has two choices:
go for greater volume at a given profit margin, by lowering the margin
somewhat; or go for a greater profit margin, which will lower volume somewhat.
Juggling those two factors are part of the job of marketing.  A third
variable comes in, of course:  increase volume by improving product quality.
That's where you and I come in, as engineers.

The Free Software Foundation doesn't exist to make money, but it does exist
for a clear goal:  to set standards, and to improve the environment for
software development.  Or, in another sense, to establish a reputation and
clout for its members.  If it achieves its goals, those who played an
integral part in establishing them will have no trouble finding work at
the zillions of companies and research/educational institutions using
FSF's software technology.  That's a pretty powerful incentive to contri-
bute, even if you don't get paid for it.

-rich