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From: nather@utastro.UUCP (Ed Nather)
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: Re: New ideas on software piracy... Flames welcome.
Message-ID: <443@utastro.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 29-Jul-85 12:08:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: utastro.443
Posted: Mon Jul 29 12:08:01 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 31-Jul-85 05:41:06 EDT
References: <419@gumby.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: U. Texas, Astronomy, Austin, TX
Lines: 28

> 	I have this idea floating around in my head that I can't get 
> rid of. Why can't information be free?
> 
> -- 
> John Foust

I expect there to be a raft of angry flames posted, mostly from people who
presently make their living writing software for pay, so I'd like to offer 
a few words of support.  I agree completely.

Most of the software I use very day is Freeware or Public Domain.  Andrew
Flugelman is gone (R.I.P.) but his ideas are very much alive:  try out my
program, send me (a modest amount of) money if you decide to use it a lot.
I don't use PC-TALK but I recommend it to anyone who needs it; I use Kermit.
One of the best editors I've encountered is the "shareware" product PC-Write.
One of the nicest things about it is that I can give copies to my friends,
and suggest they try it.  A local firm who had purchased the Samna editor
for lotsa $ gave it the boot as soon as they saw PC-Write in operation. I've
"registered" my copy and expect they will, too.

I, too, would like to have a good, fast Freeware C compiler.  Anybody making
one?  

-- 
Ed Nather
Astronomy Dept, U of Texas @ Austin
{allegra,ihnp4}!{noao,ut-sally}!utastro!nather
nather%utastro.UTEXAS@ut-sally.ARPA