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From: SY.FDC@CU20B.ARPA (Frank da Cruz)
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: Re: Free is inferior -- by definition?
Message-ID: <9693@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Date: Tue, 2-Apr-85 13:18:09 EST
Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.9693
Posted: Tue Apr  2 13:18:09 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 7-Apr-85 10:47:42 EST
Sender: news@brl-tgr.ARPA
Lines: 39

EMACS, Kermit, and some other packages form a special category of "public
domain" software (Kermit is not in the public domain, but it is free and
unlicensed, and may be copied and redistributed freely, but not sold).  These
packages are unlike other free software in that they are generally distributed
not to individuals, but to organizations which in turn provide the software to
their individual users.

In the case of EMACS (at least TOPS-20 EMACS), the computer center gets the
tape and does the installation, and then all the users benefit immediately
without having to cope with the procurement, space allocation, mapping of
TOPS-20 terminal types to internal TECO terminal types, etc etc.

In the case of Kermit, the computer center gets the tape, installs the
mainframe Kermit programs on its timesharing systems, and then computer
center staff goes through the agony of bootstrapping the microcomputer versions
from the timesharing systems on to the various micros that are important at
that site, so that ordinary users can obtain Kermit for their PCs on disk from
the computer center.  Granted, if the computer center does not do this, then
the user has a hard road to hoe -- but most are eventually able to cope.  To
ease the pain, organizations and individuals are coming forth who are willing
to distribute specific Kermit programs on various kinds of diskettes for a
small reproduction fee (generally 5 to 10 dollars).

Columbia is not the sole source for Kermit -- it can also be obtained on
various user group tapes (DECUS and SHARE for example), as well as over several
computer networks.  However, the demand for Kermit tapes from Columbia is so
high (many per day) that a distribution fee had to be instituted.  Presently it
is $100.  For that, one receives a new 2400' reel of tape containing about 120
Kermit programs with source and documentation, over 300 pages of printed
material, and a shipping container, postage paid.  Deducting just the cost of
the tape and the box (which you may keep and reuse) from the $100 fee leaves
about $80 -- which works out to about 67 cents per program.  That $80 goes to
pay the part time workers who process the orders, make and pack the tapes, and
answer innumerable written and telephone inquiries each day, and also to pay
the shipping, printing, telephone, supplies, and related costs.

When an organization takes one of these 67 cent programs and distributes it to
500 of its users, the cost of the software to the user has dwindled to nothing.
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