Re: A Linux Today story has been mailed to you!

[Raju Mathur <raju@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

But that's the whole point:  Free Software is made and will continue
to be made by people who do it as a hobby.  Just as an artist cannot
live without painting, a programmer cannot live without programming.

The way to make money from Free Software is through services.
Companies which rely on Free Software products to make their money are
going to be out on the street very soon.  Companies which provide
services and support based on Free Software, on the other hand, are
what the future is IMNSHO.

Regards,

-- Raju

>>>>> "Biju" == Biju Chacko <biju@xxxxxxxxxxx> writes:

    Biju> On Mon, Apr 16, 2001 at 03:04:29PM +0530, Kingsly John
    Biju> wrote:
    >> On Mon, 16 Apr 2001, Biju Chacko wrote:
    >> 
    >> |I think the model starts to break down when the ppl who _take_
    >> start |to out number the ppl who _give_. That is, when there
    >> are far more ppl |just downloading isos with out sending
    >> patches and bug reports than |there are developers and
    >> responsible users; then our model stops being |self-sustaining.
    >> 
    >> No I don't think so... if a company with like M$FT could take
    >> control of the world market... without a *single* user ever
    >> sending in a patch!! why should we be worried about users not
    >> sending in patches ???

    Biju> Microsoft prosecutes ppl who dont pay for the software!

    Biju> Look, no company can survive giving away something for
    Biju> nothing. The rationale behind OSS is that the ppl who
    Biju> download it for free will pay for it in patches, bug
    Biju> reports, docs or what have you. By returning _something_ to
    Biju> the community, the costs are shared too. It works on the
    Biju> honour system -- nobody insists that you do so.

    Biju> But if the majority of customers neither return to the
    Biju> community or purchase the for-profit value additions, then
    Biju> where does that leave the Open Source commercial company?
    Biju> They do not get paid _and_ their development costs are not
    Biju> being reduced by community patches.

    Biju> End result -- bankruptcy.
-- 
Raju Mathur          raju@xxxxxxxxxxxxx           http://kandalaya.org/