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View Full Version : to all the F.O.S.S supporters.......



Lord DarkPat
February 23rd, 2008, 06:51 PM
would you, if you make a masterpiece of a software, give it for free and let people change it to make it their own?
I wouldn't, if it took a years of work and is quite powerful, like the GIMP

fwojciec
February 23rd, 2008, 06:59 PM
would you, if you make a masterpiece of a software, give it for free and let people change it to make it their own?
I wouldn't, if it took a years of work and is quite powerful, like the GIMP

You don't really understand, it seems. By making it open source you are inviting the whole world to help you write "a masterpiece of a software" -- thus the task of writing such a piece of software becomes radically more feasible. Good luck adding all the features and tracing all the bugs in your closed source masterpiece-wannabe software all by yourself.

tocky
February 23rd, 2008, 07:05 PM
would you, if you make a masterpiece of a software, give it for free and let people change it to make it their own?
I wouldn't, if it took a years of work and is quite powerful, like the GIMP

I wouldn't mind that at all, but what I would mind is that if I started a project that was free as in freedom but not as in beer, in other words commercial software. And people who just copies the code from my project and create a exact copy but free. I'm all for opensource, but I do not share the view that software should be free as in beer.

az
February 23rd, 2008, 07:05 PM
would you, if you make a masterpiece of a software, give it for free and let people change it to make it their own?
I wouldn't, if it took a years of work and is quite powerful, like the GIMP

Would I chose to use a software application supported by only one person? Would I chose to use such software as part of running my business? I don't think any sane person would use such software in a production environment.

Your program will only work for as long as you feel like you want to support it. That's not good enough.

Not to mention that you probably won't start your project from scratch. It would make a lot of sense to use pieces of software that are already available as a starting point.

So, to answer your question, yes, I certainly would let people study, modify it and pass it on. I would not think that releasing software under any other conditions that free/libre open source is acceptable.

az
February 23rd, 2008, 07:08 PM
I wouldn't mind that at all, but what I would mind is that if I started a project that was free as in freedom but not as in beer, in other words commercial software. And people who just copies the code from my project and create a exact copy but free. I'm all for opensource, but I do not share the view that software should be free as in beer.

Software is not beer. The free/libre business model is services and support.

I can cut my own hair or change the oil in my can by myself, but it's worth more for me to pay someone to do it. The same goes for software. You get paid to write the software. Just like the person who cuts hair.

Just because someone can cut hair a certain way doesn't prevent someone else from doing it too. The value is in providing the service. The code itself is not the product, as you can tell by the answers to your first question. The code will always need to be supported. There will always be someone who will find value (I.E. willing to pay you) in wanting the code to be extended.

forrestcupp
February 23rd, 2008, 07:12 PM
would you, if you make a masterpiece of a software, give it for free and let people change it to make it their own?
I wouldn't, if it took a years of work and is quite powerful, like the GIMP



It's not really good to start a fight like this.

fatality_uk
February 23rd, 2008, 07:15 PM
would you, if you make a masterpiece of a software, give it for free and let people change it to make it their own?
I wouldn't, if it took a years of work and is quite powerful, like the GIMP

http://www.gimp.org/about/authors.html

Most big FOSS projects are not individual projects. The original GIMP was very limited. All the people listed have made it what it is.

I have released software as both FOSS and shareware/crippled.

While my applications were very specialised, and they were my ONLY source of income, I charged for them. Other software, just as useful, I have released as FOSS.

There are ways to make money from FOSS. I use the following example when people ask the question about FOSS.

Anyone in the world can build a car. Instructions (i.e. source code) are available on the net. The materials, engines, chassis, windscreens can be found (think de-buggers, compilers for this). But the problem stems from putting all this together.

There are a few people who do this and build their own cars, but the vast majority of us buy cars. So taking that analogy, even if the source is available, the vast majority of people will want pre-compile binaries. So the option to offer support for FOSS is there.

k2t0f12d
February 23rd, 2008, 11:14 PM
It's not really good to start a fight like this.

No way. I love these staged arguments! If you built the super-duperest coolest spaceship ever, all by yourself, would you let your friends use the holodeck for free, or wouldja charge 'em? :rolleyes:

steveneddy
February 23rd, 2008, 11:26 PM
No way. I love these staged arguments! If you built the super-duperest coolest spaceship ever, all by yourself, would you let your friends use the holodeck for free, or wouldja charge 'em? :rolleyes:

Dude - I thought I was geeky. But now.....

Midwest-Linux
February 23rd, 2008, 11:33 PM
would you, if you make a masterpiece of a software, give it for free and let people change it to make it their own?
I wouldn't, if it took a years of work and is quite powerful, like the GIMP


Why not just give Ubuntu to Microsoft, let them develop it and then have them charge us for using it.

Maybe they can tack on DRM, add WGA, cut the usability in half, make it run only on 2 GB RAM or higher and charge $300 for it, it will be a winner fer sure.:lolflag:

k2t0f12d
February 23rd, 2008, 11:47 PM
Dude - I thought I was geeky. But now.....

Oh? So it is to be a duel is it? Choose your weapon! Lightsabers? Phasers? Harry Potter wands...

steveneddy
February 23rd, 2008, 11:51 PM
Oh? So it is to be a duel is it? Choose your weapon! Lightsabers? Phasers? Harry Potter wands...

Nope - stick figures (http://www.stickpage.com/xiao1.shtml).

Lord DarkPat
February 23rd, 2008, 11:53 PM
oops... I think I just started a flame battlefield.
I would make my "masterpiece" for linux, with ppl paying money.
Or if it is possible, make it opensource till beta, like adobe(well they actually give it for free)