Re: Free Software Company

[Arun Sharma <adsharma@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, Sep 18, 2000 at 10:20:54AM +0530, Radhakrishnan C V wrote:
> What will be the percentage of 100 crore Indian population that has
> invested in the IT industry stock?
>

That percentage doesn't matter. The percentage that matters is, what
percent of the country's exports is IT industry ? Once the economy
grows around comapanies like Wipro and Infosys, lots of jobs will
be on the line (for eg, the guy who supplies tea to IT workers) - 
just like it is in the US.
 
> : basic shops in major cities, which pray for MS be more successful, so
> 
> Quite simple, they will turn on to free software tools as demonstrated
> by the big and small training institutions in India (including
> NIIT) that has once shunned away Linux, now offer training in Linux for
> cozy sums.
> 

You're right. They'll always flock to the set of tools that'll earn 
them money. But the point is, GPL doesn't offer anything to an
independent software vendor (ISV). Linux offers something - a new
market to go after, expanded horizons - which is why ISVs show 
interest in Linux.

> : that their target markets are bigger.
> 
> When target markets become bigger (as shown by the interests of NIIT in
> Linux), your anxieties on the fate of visual basic shops will fade away.
> 

Let me put it this way - I'm not a huge fan of visual basic :)

> : That's an unsubstantiated claim. Free software hasn't demonstrated any
> : wealth generation capability or hasn't saved any significant amount 
> : of money that was flowing out of the country.
> 
> You might be tempted to term the following as isolated cases not fit for
> generalization, but they demonstrate a lot:
> 

[..]

> The above have demonstrated beyond doubt that non-proprietary software
> can generate money and can save substantive foreign exchange outflow.
> 

1. None of your examples demonstrated wealth generation.
2. I agree with you the need for Indian express or whoever else can
   save significant amounts of foreign exchange by using open source
   software available for no cost. But that has very little to do with
   the crux of the argument. We both agree that open source software is
   a great thing. The difference is, should *everything* be open source ?
   Is it even possible/practical ?
3. The money spent by an average software developer on commercial tools
   is a miniscule percentage of the revenue she generates by using those
   tools. The wisdom of saving foreign exchange by boycotting proprietary
   tools is therefore questionable.

> Lastly, you sadly overlook large number of ISP's that use a variety of
> non-proprietary software at the server side.
>

Let me make myself clear again:

1. I'm not a fan of Bill Gates and non-proprietary software and enemy of
   free software.

2. I support intellectual property rights.

3. I think a large pool of "no strings attached" software is a great
   thing.
 
> 
> : > The downside of your proposition: Can you imagine US voters will still
> : > consider the economy as a key issue, if (as a hypothesis) the freedom
> : > of press is curtailed?
> : 
> : The freedom of press and economy can both coexist. Free software (in
> : the BSD - entrepreneurial sense) can coexist with wealth generation
> : by software sales. Free software in the (FSF/RMS sense) can NOT by
> : definition, coexist with  wealth generation by software sales.
> 
> My question was in an US election, can economy be a key issue if free
> press is curtailed?
> 

Economy won't be an issue if there is an earth quake. Your point ?
If you're implying that freedom of press = freedom to get other people's
intellectual property for free, that's a wrong analogy.

> : pay. The study found that:
> : 
> : 1. Per capita income of $6000 per year was the knee of the curve where
> :    the rate of illegal software fell significantly.
> : 2. Statistically, India was pirating less software than it's per capita
> :    income indicated, so India should be encouraged by decreasing prices
>                                        ----------------------------------
> :    of software.
> 
> Item number 2 above sadly contradicts with what you have posted on 
> 13 Sep 2000 
> 

(a) Statement (2) above is the author's opinion, not mine.
(b) The author above is saying that software houses, say Microsoft,
    should decrease the price of their software and thereby increase
    the number of people who legally use it.

> <arun>
>   As far as India as a developing nation is concerned, given the current
>   import/export situation, India has more to lose by software getting
>   commoditized and worthless by means of tools like GPL. It'd be good
>   for India if software continues to be expensive. 
>                ----------------------------------  
> </arun>

I'm talking about software this is written by Indian companies and
exported outside here. Of course, it'll be great for India if Microsoft
software is cheap and Infosys software is expensive. Where is the
contradiction ? :-)

	-Arun

[ breaking a self imposed ban #1 and hardening himself for ban #2 :) ]