[Fsf-friends] Re: Fsf-friends Digest, Vol 33, Issue 7

[Krishna Pagadala]

>can you please explain the economic viability
 > of using free software?
 I am a bit confused by the question.  Is the question about "viabilty of USING free software" or should it read "viability of free software"? 
 I am assuming the later and answering.
 
 Free Software has existed for more than 20 years now, and has gotten bigger every year passing year, so it is obviously viable. Whether current economic theories can explain its existence (let alone viabilty) is another problem entirely, a problem for economists not for the free software community.
 
 >how are the  developers of free software
 > adequately compensated?
 For a long time in the history of humankind,  we have been producers and gatherers of whatever we needed with little specialization. During those times we did not need to ask how will a hunter or gatherer be adequately compensated. They hunted or gathered what they needed, therefore there was no need for compensation.
 
  Likewise Free Software developers will produce what they need for themselves, it just so happens that the rest of soceity also benefits. Also Free Software developers will develop whatever we pay them to develop, just like everybody else.
 
 
 > how big is free software in comparison to proprietary software?
  It has been estimated thatsourceforge alone is equal to 1 Microsoft.
 
 


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To Reflect, to Inspire and to Empower
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