3 ms·
"On the contrary, free stuff is the overriding trend for stuff that have the marginal cost of replication close to zero. It is not so much culture that is drivi
by rick888 16y ago
"On the contrary, free stuff is the overriding trend for stuff that have the marginal cost of replication close to zero. It is not so much culture that is driving it, but the economic forces that does."
Currency also has little value (and is relatively easy and cheap to replicate). It's just ink and paper, but we value it as much higher.
If you bought software from me and I sent you random bytes instead, would you be satisfied? According to you, they have the same value.
You aren't paying for the bits that are assorted in a specific order. You are paying for the time, effort, and knowledge it took to assort those bits (which is still unique as the average person can't press a button and create Photoshop with no effort).
"Also, the allegedly common complainers who only want free stuff is unquantified. You will need some evidence to show that most people are conscious freeloaders who complain a lot."
As a simple example, look at some of the startups here on HN. Many have gotten rid of the freemium model. The reason? Freeloaders are taking up resources and they can't afford it.
Freeloaders are driving the cost of software to $0. Because software isn't something tangible, its value is based on what people think it's worth. If anybody can download your app for free (because freeloaders have downloaded it and spread it around), the perceived value will rapidly approach $0.
The general attitude about getting everything for free will just lead to less commercial software. Personally, I'm not selling software anymore. I'm selling SaaS. So Instead of paying a flat-fee for software, my users will now be paying a monthly fee. Business owners aren't stupid. They will eventually realize that piracy is impossible to defend against. The consequences are less freedom for the customer/end user.
- kiba 16y agoThe general attitude about getting everything for free will just lead to less commercial software. Personally, I'm not selling software anymore. I'm selling SaaS. So Instead of paying a flat-fee for software, my users will now be paying a monthly fee. Business owners aren't stupid. They will eventually realize that piracy is impossible to defend against. The consequences are less freedom for the customer/end user. My opinion is that commercial software will just change, not be less and less. I also thought some people are too dumb to realize that piracy is impossible to defend against and will be swept away in changes. I just realize that I wasn't looking at the right kind of people. Internet savy and those who are aware of the nature of software economic already realize this. SaaS is exactly the conclusion that I come up for a web application that I was supposed and still angling to complete.
- rick888 16y ago"Internet savy and those who are aware of the nature of software economic already realize this" The youth of today are Internet savvy. As time goes on, there will be less and less people that don't know how to find software, music online (for free).
- kiba 16y agoThe youth of today are Internet savvy. As time goes on, there will be less and less people that don't know how to find software, music online (for free). That may be true, but free musics and software are often inconvenient. They might be willing to fork over cash to save time when they're older. However, it is much possible that free software continue to drive up the standard and decrease inconvenience so long as they have the incentives to, displacing paid software.
- gaius 16y agoIf you bought software from me and I sent you random bytes instead, would you be satisfied? According to you, they have the same value. That's clearly nonsense. Would you buy a house and expect to show up to move in and you find a vacant lot and a pile of bricks? There's real, cash value in organizing random stuff into coherent patterns.