Open Source-onomics

[Raju Mathur <raju@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Full text at

     http://linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2001-04-12-006-20-OP-BZ-CY

Ganesh Prasad: Open Source-onomics: Examining some pseudo-economic
arguments about Open Source By Ganesh Prasad

Synopsis:

While the technical arguments against Linux and Open Source are being
gradually silenced, several unrefuted myths about the economics of
Open Source continue to float about, confusing and scaring off people
considering these alternative products. Worse, the Open Source
community is itself divided on such issues, and is unable to provide a
cogent rebuttal. This article is an attempt to set the record
straight.

Contents

"The poor performance of Linux stocks proves that Linux is a failure"
"Open Source is not economically viable"
"Not paying for software will ultimately kill the industry"
"Why will programmers continue to contribute code if they can't make 
money from it?"
"Even Open Source development involves effort, so there has to be 
payment for that effort"
"Are Open Source programmers writing themselves out of their jobs?"
"But free isn't natural. There's no such thing as a free lunch."
"Is software a commodity?"
"Who will invest in software development if it doesn't yield a return?"
"Open Source may have a niche, but proprietary commercial products 
will continue to rule"
"Customers will never trust something that is free"
"Open Source may release value, but it doesn't create value"
God, Government, Market and Community
Conclusion
References
About the Author

-- 
Raju Mathur          raju@xxxxxxxxxxxxx           http://kandalaya.org/