Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!nuchat!sugar!peter
From: peter@sugar.UUCP (Peter da Silva)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: zoo enhancements solicited
Message-ID: <1362@sugar.UUCP>
Date: 6 Jan 88 02:35:10 GMT
References: <1631@van-bc.UUCP> <2677@gryphon.CTS.COM> <1749@bsu-cs.UUCP> <2028@gryphon.CTS.COM>
Organization: Sugar Land UNIX - Houston, TX
Lines: 45
Summary: It's like the U.S. Mail.

In article ... richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton) writes:
> In article ... peter@sugar.UUCP (Peter da Silva) writes:
> >In article ... dhesi@bsu-cs.UUCP (Rahul Dhesi) writes:
> >> Also, imagine how things would suddenly be if every author of every
> >> free program insisted that the program be distributed at low cost.

> >Yeh, a lot of people would find their distribution channels for free and
> >low cost software drying up.

> ... while the lower cost distribution channels would no doubt pick
> up the slack.

Not for the people I was talking about for whome Compuserve and its cohorts
are the only distribution channel for much of this software.

The U.S. is an interesting place. You might not have noticed this, being so
close to the situation, but I have.

An incredibly large portion of the population lives in large towns that are
pretty much isolated by long distances from the big cities. Towns too small
to support an active BBS and user group community. Few of these places, though,
are quite so isolated they don't have at least moderately inexpensive access
to Compuserve.

The lower cost distribution channels can't afford to take up the slack.

Consider the U.S. Mail. You and I know that it's more expensive to send (x)
via the mails than by (say) UPS... at least not if you want equivalent prompt
service. This cost helps subsidise postal offices in places where it wouldn't
be economical to provide ANY mail service otherwise.

#pragma mysticism(ON)
It's interesting and refreshing that the Invisible Hand is quite capable of
supporting the equivalent arrangement in the Other Plane.
#pragma mysticism(OFF)

Basically... if CI$ isn't worth it to you, just don't use it. Don't flame it
for costing so much... ESPECIALLY when you have access to so many other
channels. If everyone had the access to systems like this, CI$ would be out of
business. If all these software authors suddenly became Stallmanist anarchists
all that would happen is that less high quality software would get to Truth
or Consequences or Lower Podunk.
-- 
-- Peter da Silva  `-_-'  ...!hoptoad!academ!uhnix1!sugar!peter
-- Disclaimer: These U aren't mere opinions... these are *values*.