[nycbug-talk] Re: wasabi

[Marc Spitzer]

On 1/23/06, Marco Scoffier <marco at metm.org> wrote:
> On Mon, Jan 23, 2006 at 02:54:36PM -0500, Johnny Lam wrote:
> >and that anyone can redistribute that software.
> >
> >This applies to your example in that your customer, to whom you've sold
> >your GPLed software (binary + sources), can now freely distribute the
> >exact same binary and sources according to the GPL.  Which means, as
> >Marc pointed out, they can upload it to SourceForge and let anyone
> >download it.
> >
>
> Got it.
>
> If you think software is a service, you have no problem with the GPL.
> If you insist that software should be a product you have a problem.
>

ok you are having issues with economics.  For example lets say a
project costs $10 million dollars to build.  You go to a vc firm and
ask for money.  They see that your product is bases on gpled code and
is targeted to sell for $100/unit.  If they know their business they
will walk away from the deal because your company does not own its
product.  That $10 million is actually worth $100 because If I give
you $100 I get all of your code.

Many times the only way to make software afforable is to make it a
product so the cost can be shared among a pool of users who find value
in the product.  the GPL makes that entirly too risky to make it make
sence from a bussiness perspective.

marc



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> Marco
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