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From: barry@pico.math.ucla.edu (Barry Merriman)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: Freewhare hurts the NeXT
Message-ID: <1991Apr3.022410.6938@math.ucla.edu>
Date: 3 Apr 91 02:24:10 GMT
References: <1991Mar30.063733.27117@news.cs.indiana.edu> <14485@life.ai.mit.edu> <1192@nikhefh.nikhef.nl> <14574@life.ai.mit.edu>
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Organization: UCLA Dept. of Math, UCLA Inst. for Fusion and Plasma Research
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If you want to criticize freeware for stifling creativity, 
you should focus on Lotus, not GNU.

Lotus  made the fine Improv spreadsheet, and then gave it away free,
just like GNU does, right?

While the sentiment beneath the GNU freeware is to benevolent,
I doubt that is the case with Lotus. I'm sure they want their 
free spreadsheet to saturate the (initially small) installed NeXT base,
killing off all competitors and giving them a monopoly that will
persist as the NeXT base (and Improv price!) increase. There is already
one victim, namely Ashton-Tate's attempt at a spreadsheet, which I hear
has been withdrawn (hard to compete with Improv, which is both
good and free...)

So, I would say free software can be used to strongly stifle diversity,
especially when it is wielded as a weapon by a company intent on
monopolizing a market. This is not the way GNU operates, though.
Their quality software is free, and always will be. If they do monopolize
an area, at least its a free monopoly.

Disclaimer: don't get me wrong---I love Improv, and I'm very happy
that they created it and gave it to me. I would gladly pay for
such a fine product (and I'm sure some day I will!). But I also
recognize the likely ulterior motives behind their benevolence. 
These motives are understandable, and I don't blame them for 
taking that approach---its smart business. But lets all call a spade 
a spade (and GNU is not a spade here).

--
Barry Merriman
UCLA Dept. of Math
UCLA Inst. for Fusion and Plasma Research
barry@math.ucla.edu (Internet)