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> It peeves me a lot to see virtual currencies described as being "worth" something in a USD or some other real currency equivalent. By the same token, why isn'
by mcherm 9y ago
> It peeves me a lot to see virtual currencies described as being "worth" something in a USD or some other real currency equivalent. By the same token, why isn't open source code described as being worth a certain amount of money?
If we called it "code currency" and touted the ability to use open source to buy and sell things then I think people WOULD compare it to preexisting currencies. Instead, open source code is touted as a replacement for proprietary code, and we often hear people making comparisons such as "Gimp vs Photoshop" or "Linux vs MacOS".
The dollar-value for cryptocurrencies is because they are CURRENCIES.
- maxaf 9y agoA thing can't be called a currency until and unless normal people like myself can use the thing to obtain things such as: * shelter * food * ammunition * education for the children As it stands, the craze of virtual currencies is merely a distraction from important issues, not to mention a waste of electricity and mindshare.
- drngdds 9y agoThe dollar value for cryptocurrency is because they can be owned in a meaningful sense (having private keys) and people are willing to give you money if you transfer ownership to them. There's no equivalent sense of ownership for open source software.