I find it interesting you are harping on an aside I made in the middle of an accurate (though very abdriged) description of the history of proprietary software.

I find it interesting you are harping on an aside I made in the middle of an accurate (though very abdriged) description of the history of proprietary software. But, to your point -- yes, companies can do altruistic things. That doesn't mean they always do altruistic things, nor does it mean that they tend to do altruistic things. This should not be surprising -- companies are designed to maximise profit and altruism is rarely as profitable as other avenues. Companies which contribute to or sell free software are in the overwhelming minority today, let alone 30 years ago. I didn't mention socialism, nor redistribution of assets. More importantly though, if you feel the need to protect the concept of capitalism whenever there is even the hint of criticism, then you should take a page out of Hamlet -- "the lady doth protest too much, methinks". Also, free software isn't socialist. If you feel the need to tie to it a political ideology, it's much closer to anarchism.