Re: MS programmers contributing to open-source?

From: Scott Moore (samiam_at_moorecad.com)
Date: 12/23/03 

Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2003 08:02:28 GMT

"Joe Butler" <ffffh.no.spam@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:bs7j42$fvd$1@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk...
> Where do zero-cost programmers get money to pay their basic living expenses?
>
> Can anyone give examples of professions that regularly give away that which
> has taken great effort to produce (other than tagging vandals.)? I'm sure
> they exist, but find it really difficult to see how an army of free
> programmers is ultimately of benefit to the programming community in the
> long term.

But software, not having physical form, does not obey the standard rules.
Therefore communisim will work in software land, and software will
show the way to a resurgence of communisim everywhere. After all,
it was a good idea, just misapplied for evil reasons.

Everyone knows that communisim is the ultimate state of man. When he is
sufficiently enlightened, there will be no need for an material good, and no
reason for envy. There will be no need for money.

Why start a new era, that of programming, using outdated rules ? Freeware
does not seek to outlaw paid software. It is communisim done correctly.
The wares are given away, and so the need to buy software is eliminated.
Nobody is forced to buy or not to buy software.

>
> Will paid-for programmers all end up working at McDonalds, while
> free-programmers obtain a comfortable income from other sources?

No, there will be no more paid programmers. Programmers will be free,
and give their work away free. And live at other peoples houses.
Much like Richard Stallman.

>
> Should the following professions be releasing free software?
> Musicians?
> Printed Media?
> Publishers?

Yes, yes. You don't understand the new enlightened era. If you did, you
would sink to your knees, thank RMS for what he hath wrought, and
pass the granola.

>
> They all produce wares that may be distributed for free (or low cost), yet
> someone needs to derive an income from these activities.

Why ? Its all in your mind. Feel the table. Has it form ? Is it not structure
created from emptyness ? Be one with the universe, grasshopper.

>
> Would we ever get to the stage where we can watch, say, the latest Pixar
> production at no cost, because everyone is given their time, expertise,
> effort, etc. for 'free'?

Sure, right after we convince women that free sex is a good idea. Been
trying for centuries now.

>
> Is there some sort of 'economic' model that shows this idea is sustainable?
>

Eco-nomic - The study of little ecological Knomes.

>
> "Frederick Leslie Evans" <fle@no-thankyou.com> wrote in message
> news:bs56lm$um2$1@news.fas.harvard.edu...
> > Hello, just a quick question: are employees of Microsoft forbidden by
> > contract from contributing to Linux and/or other free-software projects in
> > their leisure time? If so, is such a contractual term considered
> > controversial by programmers? If it is not actually prohibited, are MS
> > programmers nevertheless discouraged somehow from the practice as it
> > favours the competition, and do they have to contribute secretly if they
> > want to contribute at all? Lastly, *do* any of them make valuable
> > contributions to the free-software movement, overtly or covertly?
> >
> > Thank you for any answers to these questions --Les
>
>

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Discussing "Build Your Own .Net Language and Compiler"
    ... >> refer to you as jerk face, therefore, jerk face, I repeat my request. ... If it were the case that like many programmers, ... strictly for the money, then yes indeed I am a failure, boo hoo. ... > some mythical retirement plan issue you allude to above. ...
    (comp.programming)
  • Re: Open Source vs. Commercial
    ... Actually, they were losing money, so they *were* done in by competition. ... >> programmers' career possibilities, ... >> labor market and the final market. ... >> amount of money going into the pockets of software developers, ...
    (borland.public.delphi.non-technical)
  • Re: control of software
    ... >My belief is that programmers make more money with free software and open source packages than ever could be possible with the pecuniary license model. ... I never saw how cutting taxes increases tax revenues. ... I sure learn from other folks. ...
    (comp.lang.mumps)
  • Re: Amazon used lisp & C exclusively?
    ... And note that it /is/ about the money, ... "If programmers deserve to be rewarded for creating innovative programs, by the same token they deserve to be punished if they restrict the use of these programs." ... I wonder what the FSF is going to do, put a fatwah on my head? ... considerably more" money than sales clerks: ...
    (comp.lang.lisp)
  • Programming as a Profession
    ... > collected codes you don't have to rewrite projects but slightly ... just destroying your view of what the economy *ought* to be. ... MOST other professions with such a range of worker quality are ... Or, while I'm on the subject of "professional" programmers, this ...
    (comp.programming)