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From: padpowell@wateng.UUCP (PAD Powell [Admin])
Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards
Subject: Re: Severe complaints against GNU?
Message-ID: <438@wateng.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 18-Oct-83 09:19:46 EDT
Article-I.D.: wateng.438
Posted: Tue Oct 18 09:19:46 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 20-Oct-83 00:16:02 EDT
References: <12452@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 16

In one article, the author says that he would rather let the "government"
support his software efforts by taxation, because then the software would
be distributed "free".

Firstly, if the software is competing with products offered by companies,
then the government is using taxes from the companies to put them at a
disadvantage.  "You are doing so well that we are going to bankrupt you."
This is a fact of life up here in Canada, where the economic policies have
created an environment so tied to the Provincial and Federal Government grant
schemes that no company can afford not to be part of them.  The result is
a tremendous waste of money and people.  Also, the fact the government
pays for things does not mean access to them.  I know of one major telecom
company here in Canada that has had direct and indirect subsidies for decades
that has never put any software they have developed in the public domain.

Patrick Powell