Comments on: Free: the new monopoly? http://changemod.com/755/2008/01/17/free-the-new-monopoly/ The theory of social networks and the evolution of the web. Studying the social web, network theory, blogging and privacy issues of the internet. Sat, 22 Nov 2008 06:19:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: robojiannis http://changemod.com/755/2008/01/17/free-the-new-monopoly/#comment-884 robojiannis Sun, 02 Mar 2008 21:53:14 +0000 http://changemod.com/755/2008/01/17/free-the-new-monopoly/#comment-884 @Kila My bad... :) Indeed IE was free, but there was a catch (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Microsoft" rel="nofollow">the United States vs. Microsoft case</a>). I agree with you, that open source software are very often transformed in commercial software. But there is a distinction between open source and free software. <b>Open source</b> are open for everybody to read, change and use. <b>Free software</b> come with a license. Although commercial usage of free software is possible, the code must always remain open. @Kila

My bad… :)
Indeed IE was free, but there was a catch (the United States vs. Microsoft case).

I agree with you, that open source software are very often transformed in commercial software.
But there is a distinction between open source and free software.
Open source are open for everybody to read, change and use.
Free software come with a license. Although commercial usage of free software is possible, the code must always remain open.

]]> By: Kila Morton http://changemod.com/755/2008/01/17/free-the-new-monopoly/#comment-883 Kila Morton Sun, 02 Mar 2008 20:58:39 +0000 http://changemod.com/755/2008/01/17/free-the-new-monopoly/#comment-883 robojiannis - I never said Windows was free. Do you remember the initial browser issue between Netscape and Microsoft? Read what I said. Netscape used to charge for their browser. Microsoft created IE and started giving it away for free and kicked Netscape right off of their pedestal. I was talking about IE - not Windows. As for the open source software remains free idea - that's a good theory. The truth is that it doesn't work out that way. Someone gets their hands on the open source software and then changes it and makes it a pay to play product. It happens all of the time. robojiannis - I never said Windows was free. Do you remember the initial browser issue between Netscape and Microsoft? Read what I said. Netscape used to charge for their browser. Microsoft created IE and started giving it away for free and kicked Netscape right off of their pedestal. I was talking about IE - not Windows.

As for the open source software remains free idea - that’s a good theory. The truth is that it doesn’t work out that way. Someone gets their hands on the open source software and then changes it and makes it a pay to play product. It happens all of the time.

]]> By: robojiannis http://changemod.com/755/2008/01/17/free-the-new-monopoly/#comment-178 robojiannis Sat, 19 Jan 2008 09:29:32 +0000 http://changemod.com/755/2008/01/17/free-the-new-monopoly/#comment-178 @Killa You say about open source: <em>Someone makes a decision to start charging for something that was open source and then the process of free-pay-free-pay starts all over again.</em> This is an exception of the rule. There is also a distinction we should make. Open source software allow everyone to do what he wants with them. Free software come with a license; most times you're allowed to redistribute the software but not change the license. So the software remains free. When was windows free? @Killa
You say about open source: Someone makes a decision to start charging for something that was open source and then the process of free-pay-free-pay starts all over again.
This is an exception of the rule. There is also a distinction we should make. Open source software allow everyone to do what he wants with them. Free software come with a license; most times you’re allowed to redistribute the software but not change the license. So the software remains free.

When was windows free?

]]> By: Kila Morton http://changemod.com/755/2008/01/17/free-the-new-monopoly/#comment-170 Kila Morton Fri, 18 Jan 2008 21:56:32 +0000 http://changemod.com/755/2008/01/17/free-the-new-monopoly/#comment-170 "When the economy is bad (think 2008), then advertising is the first to be cut" Wrong, wrong and wrong. Advertising is never the first thing to be cut. Advertisers just figure out more creative ways to get their information in front of people. The whole purpose of advertising is to get a product in front of people so that people want to and will purchase a particular product. Do you think that just because the economy is bad that people stop wanting things? People are crazy. They will spend their money on things when they have bills due because it makes them 'feel good'. Advertising is about capitalizing on that feeling and attaching it to a product. Online advertising is not going to stop simply because the advertising model lends itself so well to the Internet. As for the open source argument, he is not really thinking about the full picture. Think about Netscape. Netscape used to charge for its browser. That limited the amount of people who were going to use it simply because there were people who were NOT going to buy it. A lot did, but a lot didn't. Then what happened. Microsoft said ok we are going to give it away for free. Netscape didn't flinch. They continued to offer their browser at a price. Then they lowered the price. Then they realized what a huge mistake they had made but it was too late. Microsoft virtually wiped Netscape off of the map little by little using "free stuff". Open source does a lot of good and it enables innovation because people understand that this innovation benefits the whole. Then what happens? Someone makes a decision to start charging for something that was open source and then the process of free-pay-free-pay starts all over again. History is cyclical in nature and if there is one thing that we have seen, its that the free thing comes, someone capitalizes on it in a big way and then it goes and then it comes right back with a different piece of software. Andrew started a controversial post, but his mental process, in my opinion, was a little flawed. Just remember that at one point, the program that was Windows was also free. Bill Gates decided to use the code and start charging for it. Look at how that turned out. “When the economy is bad (think 2008), then advertising is the first to be cut”

Wrong, wrong and wrong. Advertising is never the first thing to be cut. Advertisers just figure out more creative ways to get their information in front of people. The whole purpose of advertising is to get a product in front of people so that people want to and will purchase a particular product. Do you think that just because the economy is bad that people stop wanting things? People are crazy. They will spend their money on things when they have bills due because it makes them ‘feel good’. Advertising is about capitalizing on that feeling and attaching it to a product. Online advertising is not going to stop simply because the advertising model lends itself so well to the Internet.

As for the open source argument, he is not really thinking about the full picture. Think about Netscape. Netscape used to charge for its browser. That limited the amount of people who were going to use it simply because there were people who were NOT going to buy it. A lot did, but a lot didn’t. Then what happened. Microsoft said ok we are going to give it away for free. Netscape didn’t flinch. They continued to offer their browser at a price. Then they lowered the price. Then they realized what a huge mistake they had made but it was too late. Microsoft virtually wiped Netscape off of the map little by little using “free stuff”.

Open source does a lot of good and it enables innovation because people understand that this innovation benefits the whole. Then what happens? Someone makes a decision to start charging for something that was open source and then the process of free-pay-free-pay starts all over again. History is cyclical in nature and if there is one thing that we have seen, its that the free thing comes, someone capitalizes on it in a big way and then it goes and then it comes right back with a different piece of software.

Andrew started a controversial post, but his mental process, in my opinion, was a little flawed. Just remember that at one point, the program that was Windows was also free. Bill Gates decided to use the code and start charging for it. Look at how that turned out.

]]> By: robojiannis http://changemod.com/755/2008/01/17/free-the-new-monopoly/#comment-161 robojiannis Fri, 18 Jan 2008 09:35:58 +0000 http://changemod.com/755/2008/01/17/free-the-new-monopoly/#comment-161 @Terry My bad. I used the wrong words I guess. What I meant was, that if a program (open source or not) is very useful and very good at its field, it is hard to replace it with another program. Replacement can happen when a new program comes along, that brings something new. Wordpress for example. Or firefox. They are 'authorities' in their field. They are constantly developing to remain authorities, but you don't see any other blogging platforms or browser developed. If there was one developed, it should provide something new; so that users will make the leap, leave the pretty firefox and continue with the new software. I'll correct the sentence of the article, it's wrong. Thanks @Terry
My bad. I used the wrong words I guess. What I meant was, that if a program (open source or not) is very useful and very good at its field, it is hard to replace it with another program. Replacement can happen when a new program comes along, that brings something new.
Wordpress for example. Or firefox. They are ‘authorities’ in their field. They are constantly developing to remain authorities, but you don’t see any other blogging platforms or browser developed. If there was one developed, it should provide something new; so that users will make the leap, leave the pretty firefox and continue with the new software.

I’ll correct the sentence of the article, it’s wrong. Thanks

]]> By: Terry Heath http://changemod.com/755/2008/01/17/free-the-new-monopoly/#comment-160 Terry Heath Fri, 18 Jan 2008 04:37:57 +0000 http://changemod.com/755/2008/01/17/free-the-new-monopoly/#comment-160 This is an interesting article, and along the lines of something I've been considering lately. Although much is free on the internet these days, I find I'm still willing to pay for information if I believe it will be authoritative. As a matter of fact, I seem to trust the information better if I've had to pay for it. I'm not sure about your comment that when an open source product is good there is no necessity for development. You're using WordPress for your blog, and even though WP is very good it is still continuously being developed. This is an interesting article, and along the lines of something I’ve been considering lately.

Although much is free on the internet these days, I find I’m still willing to pay for information if I believe it will be authoritative. As a matter of fact, I seem to trust the information better if I’ve had to pay for it.

I’m not sure about your comment that when an open source product is good there is no necessity for development. You’re using WordPress for your blog, and even though WP is very good it is still continuously being developed.

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