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From: davidsen@ariel.crd.GE.COM (william E Davidsen)
Subject: Re: Summary of Linux vs. 386BSD vs. Commercial Unixes
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Reply-To: davidsen@crd.ge.com (bill davidsen)
Organization: GE Corporate R&D Center, Schenectady NY
References: <1993Apr15.225354.18654@samba.oit.unc.edu> <1993Apr17.175431.25015@coe.montana.edu> <1993Apr17.190517.4276@serval.net.wsu.edu> <1993Apr17.205715.11278@coe.montana.edu> <1993Apr17.231000.103368@zeus.calpoly.edu>
Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1993 16:28:59 GMT
Lines: 39
In article <1993Apr17.231000.103368@zeus.calpoly.edu>, jemenake@trumpet.calpoly.edu (Joe Emenaker) writes:
| Now, it really, Really, REALLY angers me to think of these big
| corporations taking public-domain and otherwise free software and
| distributing it as their own and actually getting money for it. How
| DEVOID of work-ethic does some have to be to pull a stunt like that? And
| you're saying that you're pleased as punch if DEC can just ftp a copy of
| 386BSD and start selling it for $500/copy as DEC-BSD/PC or something?!?!
Sure, but anyone else can sell it for $100 a copy, or $50 and copy, or
give it away. I'm selling some of my net software (which I released to
the net for free use) because some companies require that software be
purchased from a vendor who will warrant it virus free. Fine with me, I
gave it away, but if someone will make money on it, I'm willing to have
it be me.
| That makes me ill. It really does. When I code stuff and release it to
| the public domain, I stipulate that the stuff is free and is free to
| modify, but ANYTHING that is derived from my code or that USES the
| binaries has to be free as well. I think that the GNU agreement is
| something similar to this. Now, if a company wants to charge for
| SUPPORT, or if they want to charge a media fee for distribution....
| that's okay (SoftLanding does this.... as far as I can tell).
Sorry, that's not the way GNU works, either. I can sell gcc for
$10,000/copy with no support. But I have to provide source, and can't
restrict redistribution. Which means that I will not get $10k for very
many copies, because others will be selling for $100/copy.
I charge for Linux on floppy, even though I have it on my BBS (parts,
anyway) for free. I keep trying to get people to go into competition
with me, without much luck. Nothing wrong with that, either. If people
think my copying charge is too high, they can sell for less.
--
bill davidsen, GE Corp. R&D Center; Box 8; Schenectady NY 12345
Last year I worried that Bush would die and let Quayle take over.
This year I worry that Hillary will die and let Bill take over.