Re: [OT] RE: [Mingw-users] EXE file size

[Philip B. <ph...@fl...>]

The reason free software developers can give their software away, and
grocers cannot do the same, has to do with the nature of human beings and
the nature of software.

Communism can only work in two ways: either the government is totalitarian,
and the people are forced to work, or the government is not totalitarian,
and the people work anyway, out of their own free will. If anyone decides to
slack off, the system falls apart, since there is still a supply-demand
economy, and production must match consumption.

On the other hand, it takes just as long to write a piece of software that
will be used by one person as it does to write the same software for a
million people, assuming the end product is the same. Thus, the free
software economy can support an unlimited number of "slackers" so long as
distribution media are somehow payed for. Since most of us pay for our
internet connection, and get our software by that means, this problem is
easily solved.

So until we'll *all* agree to work for zero reward, except that of peer
acceptance, we'll have to find anotherr way to pay for our groceries.

It's a shame, though. I would happily write code to give away for the rest
of my life if someone else would feed me in return. :)

Thanks, Philip Bock

----- Original Message -----
From: "Christopher Faylor" <cg...@re...>
Cc: "MinGW-Users" <min...@li...>
Sent: Sunday, June 02, 2002 11:40 PM
Subject: Re: [OT] RE: [Mingw-users] EXE file size


> On Mon, Jun 03, 2002 at 11:00:42AM +0800, Wu Yongwei wrote:
> >It might work, in a distant future. If developers are willing to devote
> >their time doing things for the public, why cannot grocers and others? It
> >is, kind of, Communism.
> >
> >In fact, free software advocates are the best communists (though they may
> >not think so) I have ever seen. However, we all know that the communist
> >trend has largely failed so far....
>
> I prefer to think of myself as someone who gives to charity.
>
> Wouldn't a communist be sort of forced to work on things, usually
> without their consent?  Their work does contribute to the common good
> but it is not necessarily cheerfully given.
>
> I believe that, currently, the majority of people who devote time to
> free software are not paid to do so.  I work for a company which sells
> support for free software but I'm actually not paid to work on it (I'm
> a manager).  Even if I was paid to work on it, it still doesn't strike
> me as entirely communistic since I still have a choice on whether I can
> work on free software or not.
>
> I suppose that if free software really does take over the world, then
> we might all be viewed as somewhat communistic.  I don't think the
> present system qualifies, though.
>
> cgf
>
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