Re: is free, open source software ethical?

Many other economists will tell you that's ideological drivel.

And some scientists will tell you that the earth is 4000 years old.

Ideally, in a free market, everybody charges the minimum price needed to
provide some goods or services, optimally allocating resources in the
process.

Not necessarily. The consumer does not care what the cost of
production is. He only cares about the marginal utility of the product
to him.

dumping vendor remains the last on his market. After that, he can raise
the prices above the true market price, as long as he keeps it low
enough that the usual market entry barriers keep new competition from
arriving.

In other words, he is able to sell the product for a lower cost than
the competition will be able to. Sounds like a good deal to the
consumer.

free market. It didn't matter much though, transportation was so
expensive that no real free market existed anyway.)

A free market is just people voluntarily exchanging goods and
services. Whether this is silk traders from 500BC, oil traders in 2008
or intergalactic gold traders in 3000, they all follow the same
principle - that division of work and specialization enabled by trade
raises productivity and hence wealth.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Free Market Anti-Statism
    ... and sellers, exchangers of goods and services, can proceed ... without intervention or hindrance from any outside party. ... In the way you define it, there is no free market at all. ... for products; goods, merchandise, commodities; take place continuously ...
    (sci.econ)
  • Re: Free Market Anti-Statism
    ... The free market is the wonder of the world. ... for products; goods, merchandise, commodities; take place continuously ... from across the street to across the continents. ...
    (sci.econ)
  • Re: Lack of National Health Care Helped Kill Delphi, is GM next?
    ... The consumer is driving the market & the free market ... The public will not pay more for your goods ... > know that our offshored software guiding the offshored part had ...
    (soc.retirement)
  • Re: Wiggle - anyone got a telno for them?
    ... "OTHER LEGISLATION AFFECTING CONSUMER CONTRACTS ... If the trader arranges for goods to be delivered to a consumer, ... remain at the trader's risk until delivery. ... If they're part-time traders masquerading as private ...
    (uk.rec.cycling)
  • Re: Hellgate impressions
    ... They also operate in a free market where there is price ... goods were more expensive. ... i am not indifferent, however. ...
    (comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg)