I think you've successfully argued against your own point. With open source, developers are paid for ∆V -- the amount of value added to a project. Companies ar

I think you've successfully argued against your own point. With open source, developers are paid for ∆V -- the amount of value added to a project. Companies are paid $0 in most models but it's backed by a monetization model that's non-zero. Basically, more work == more value == more pay. With proprietary software, developers are still paid ∆V, but companies are paid for V∆t -- value times the duration of usage. While some of this is just compensation for risking investor money, the ultimate model is rent-seeking and lock-in. This is extractive because the company keeps getting paid even when they don't add value. You may raise concern that volunteer developers don't get compensation, but use that a problem for a voluntary activity? People program as a hobby, to scratch an itch, to develop mastery, to solve a problem they already have, to advance an ideology, or for a chance at recognition/popularity. Only that last one is anything near a problem, and it's the same boat as first time authors or artists.