Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!looking!brad
From: brad@looking.UUCP (Brad Templeton)
Newsgroups: news.admin
Subject: Flow of information vs. ownership of information
Message-ID: <2739@looking.UUCP>
Date: 8 Feb 89 04:31:49 GMT
Organization: Looking Glass Software, Waterloo Ont.
Lines: 69

A sentiment which one sees expressed on this net from time to time
(particularly when complaining about a compilation copyright 8-) )
is the sentiment that everything (in terms of information) should be
free and unowned, as that encourages the free flow of information.

After all restrictions on distribution obviously reduce distribution,
that's intuitively obvious, isn't it?

Or is it?

While the intuition seems right, there's a mountain of evidence that goes
the other way.  The world's most widely distributed, widely used pieces
of intellectual property are, almost without fail, the owned ones, and
in particular the commercial ones.   This happens even in the presence
of good quality, free, unrestricted competitors.

Quick Multiple Choice Quiz:

What is the most widely used spreadsheet?

A) 1-2-3		B) Excel		C) PC-Calc and all the others
						   put together.

What is the most widely used word processor?

A) WordPerfect		B) WordStar		C) All the free ones put
						   together.

What is the most widely connected USENET site?

A) UUNET		B) att			C) Whatever the largest free
						   connections site is.

What USENET site has the most netters?

A) Portal		B) Well			C) ddsw1.MCS.COM

For a counter example, what's the best selling book?

A) Bible		B) Guiness Book of Records  C) 1988 RHF Annual

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Time and time again the evidence shows that if you want to improve the
flow of information, the information should either be owned, or backed
by one of the world's most powerful religions.  :-)

This net is not a propertyless commune.  People here are entitled to
control and ownership of the fruits of their own labour.  In fact,
if you want a growing, thriving net, it's essential that they be so
entitled.  Ownership allows incentive for individual vision, for risk
and for growth.

Usenet is a cooperative, and a big one.  But there is no rule that
says that cooperatives are communes.   Other than the rules that
govern communications links paid for by the DCA, this is a fully
commercial network, and commercial traffic flows over it constantly,
with the blessing of netters.  To think otherwise is to believe in
some idealistic myth.

I am sorry if this means that those who are dedicated to the commune
view of the net will stop feeding rec.humor.funny to their downstream
sites.  Any site admin that does this is within their rights, of course.
Feeds of rec.humor.funny are available from many sites, fortunately,
including my own -- although I'm not the closest for most of you.  If
somebody cuts you off, I will try to help.

-- 
Brad Templeton, Looking Glass Software Ltd.  --  Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473