× The internal search function is temporarily non-functional. The current search engine is no longer viable and we are researching alternatives.
As a stop gap measure, we are using Google's custom search engine service.
If you know of an easy to use, open source, search engine ... please contact support@midrange.com.


  1.  Home
  2. MIDRANGE-L
  3. June 2003

Re: Innovation in software (was RE: IBM loses its Unix license -Jun. 16, 2003)

Hans Boldt wrote:
> Now I'm no economist, but I know that the cost of some commodity is
> based primarily on the cost to reproduce an instance of that
> commodity. Computer software takes that fundamental principal to the
> extreme, and the cost of reproduction can be essentially zero for the
> manucturer.

There's got to be some flaw in this logic, Hans. Cost to reproduce what? The bits? Or the application? If I have a great idea for an application and I spend a year or two churning it out, where does that set the "cost" as you evaluate it above? Zero? Not worth my time to bother?

Now, I'm a happy Eclipse user. The "cost" of the product to me was zero. But I sure can't say I'd require everyone simply publish their work for free, because I can't afford to do that either. I think it might hamper software development.

> What's different today is that you can now run "free" software
> exclusively on your computer and not lack anything. But that's not so
>  much an "innovation" as it is a return to the roots of personal
> computing, as well as a consequence of capitalist economic theory.
>
> Cheers! Hans

--
Chris Rehm
chris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love
thy neighbour as thyself.
Gal. 5: 14




As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

This thread ...
Follow-Ups:
Replies:
Follow On AppleNews
Return to Archive home page | Return to MIDRANGE.COM home page

This mailing list archive is Copyright 1997-2024 by midrange.com and David Gibbs as a compilation work. Use of the archive is restricted to research of a business or technical nature. Any other uses are prohibited. Full details are available on our policy page. If you have questions about this, please contact [javascript protected email address].

Operating expenses for this site are earned using the Amazon Associate program and Google Adsense.