The Simple Economics of Open Source

[Richard Hale]

In article <B527E7A5.51AA%raffael at mediaone.net>, raffael at mediaone.net 
says...
> I see a parallael to the software industry here as well. Those with a
> lucrative cash cow (e.g., MS) are reluctant to share code, but those who
> just make a living programming are happy to share source. It would seem that
> sharing is inversely proportional to the value of that which is shared.
> 
> 
> 
_Or_ it would seem that sharing is inversely proportional to the 
_perceived_ value of that which is shared.

The Open Source software that I have used has been very valuable to me.  
Did those who produced it not see as much value in it?

I would answer the previous question no and observe that the parallel is 
not valid.  The models and motivations are different and not parallel.

Richard