"If their work was being distributed for free (SQL server, Windows), software developers would make much less money and would be up in arms here." Most of us a

"If their work was being distributed for free (SQL server, Windows), software developers would make much less money and would be up in arms here." Most of us are paid based on the value we provide to employers by the capabilities we provide through software, not based on the value of the software itself. (Trading software for money is a relatively niche market in the industry. Enterprise software for the win! :-)) Most of the software I write isn't distributed at all; that which is distributed is available for free.