Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!udel!rochester!uhura.cc.rochester.edu!ee.rochester.edu!davis
From: davis@ee.rochester.edu (Al Davis)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: Freewhare hurts the NeXT (was Re: Desktop publishing)
Message-ID: <1991Apr1.004439.20010@ee.rochester.edu>
Date: 1 Apr 91 00:44:39 GMT
References: <1446@toaster.SFSU.EDU> <1991Mar30.063733.27117@news.cs.indiana.edu> <70367@brunix.UUCP>
Organization: University of Rochester Department of Electrical Engineering
Lines: 18


An example of where free software has not hurt the market is EE CAD
software.  There is a lot of nearly free (pay for copying) stuff available
form universities.  Example: Berkeley: SPICE, MAGIC, etc.  There are other
sources in addition to Berkeley.

Yet, the CAD inductry is thriving.  Many of the products are enhancements to
the PD stuff.

There are two types of users: commercial and non-commercial.

Commercial users will pay for the best because it saves enough time to be
worth it, and may help produce a better product for them.  They need support
and will pay for it.  It is cheap compared to the time it saves.

Non-commercial users may want it cheap.  Many will use the free stuff, but
would not buy it.  If you are an electronics hobbiest would you pay $20,000
for a simulator?  Commercial users will.