Re: economic efficiency of free software

Ben Laurie wrote:
> >Remember Nelson's Maxim: there are no problems, only unmet business
> >opportunities.  If you can figure out a way to save people money
> >through your actions, then you can convince them to share a portion of
> >those savings with you, triggering your action.
> 
> I presume you mean that its theoretically possible to convince them, 
> rather than that it is a foregone conclusion? Also, what about people 
> (like me) who are foolish enough to undertake the action before the 
> money is forthcoming? When I started working on Apache, how would I have 
> arranged to be paid for that?

Nelson's Maxium from the point of view of someone else:

Clearly, nobody has a problem with you working on Apache.  Therefore
that's not an unmet business opportunity (you did it anyway).

If there was a way for them to arrange to save _you_ money, they might
be able to convince _you_ to share a portion of your savings with
them.  For example, someone who can offer you cheaper accomodation or
cheaper DSL, gets your custom and gets a portion of the fee.


Nelson's Maxim from your point of view:

> When I started working on Apache, how would I have arranged to be
> paid for that?

By finding someone that your Apache work would save money for, and
convincing them to share part of the saving _when_ you started.

After the fact it's a little too late.  Then you don't have the
opportunity to save anyone money, unless you're willing to do more
work.  The work you've already done might be saving someone money, but
they're _already_ saving it now, so your opportunity to save it for
them has passed.

Notice the maxim says "if you can figure out a way *to* save
people money".  It applies to the future, not the past.

Of course, the work you've done on Apache might help with
opportunities to save people money in future.  It might help a lot.

-- Jamie