Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!pt.cs.cmu.edu!rochester!udel!mmdf
From: eo@ansa.co.uk (Ed Oskiewicz)
Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Subject: Re: Your articles sold for cash.
Message-ID: <26248@nigel.udel.EDU>
Date: 31 Jul 90 17:59:52 GMT
Sender: mmdf@ee.udel.EDU
Lines: 29

Dear *,

I suppose we ought to figure out how much these guys are charging
and what for before getting too hot under the collar - presumably
they subscribe to the list so maybe they could tell us. After all a
(modest) media only charge for making upgrades and useful goodies
available to those who don't have the benefit of net access or
employers or colleges paying their communications bills is
reasonable (and a useful service). 

These guys also offer (I believe for a charge) FSF originated
software so if they are parasiting (?) off our collective efforts
then a lot of other people will be annoyed.

The general question of preventing commercial exploitation from
network distributed software will always be tricky because where
can you draw the line?. Someone will always turn a quick quid (buck
for our American cousins) even if it's only the phone company. But
I do think that the suggestion to boycott the UK just to spite these
people is a little hasty.

Maybe we could make it a condition of this list that ANY form of
commercial exploitation or misrepresentation of the source of the
material be declared illegal immoral and fattening. But I believe we
should allow and encourage reasonable media and labour charges so
that MINIX is of benefit to users who are not fortunate enough to
have network access.

Ed Oskiewicz (eo@ansa.co.uk)