Re: Economics and the GPL

On Mon, 10 Jun 2002, Matt Seitz wrote:

> This is like saying the grocery store seeks to take money away from people by
> saying "pay me money, or else you can't have this banana".  Yes, in a literal
> sense the grocery is seeking to take money from people.  One could also say the
> store is seeking to give bananas away.  Neither is the whole truth.  What is
> really happening is that the store is offering a voluntary exchange:  if you
> will give me money, I will give you a banana.  

No, it's more like the store owner saying, "add my name on all your bank 
accounts, let me have as much of your money as I want, and you can have all 
the bananas and anything else in my store you want."  Very different.

> Likewise, I don't see the GPL as "taking choice away", I see it as 
> offering an exchange:  "I will give you x if you will give me y".  That 
> to me is not "taking", it is trading.

Normal trading is an equal exchange of similar value.  Using the GPL is 
more like joining a commune.  Hardly the same thing.

Deven