Re:Why Free Software Is More Important Now Than Ever Before
by eddiedunn on Monday September 30, 2013 @08:41AM
(#6469209)
"Ask any book or music publisher: you can't expect to profit much from distribution if you can always get the same thing for free next door. If you get anything, it pretty much amounts to a donation."
Lies. Using music as an example, look at Spotify (or Itunes or whatever) as an example vs. downloading mp3s for free.
I'm aware this is anecdotal evidence, but I haven't downloaded any music for years due to Spotify being so convenient to use. Neither have any of the people I know.
I strongly believe that given a superior distribution model, money will follow.
Ask any book or music publisher: you can't expect to profit much from distribution if you can always get the same thing for free next door. If you get anything, it pretty much amounts to a donation.
I think we all know that here.
Yes, you're right that there are organizations that subsidize free software development. But this is not a broadly applicable mechanism, in the commercial sector at least. Not every commercial company can pursue a leveraged approach.
This is exactly why I suggested a government-funded direction.
Free software is certainly widely used, but it pales in comparison to non-free software. Hence the previous poster's complaint about the lack of a competitive free Google Docs, AWS, etc.