4 ms·

Good news? Is there any downsides?

corty 5y ago
Depends on your viewpoint. The current mess with software rentals and cloud-based everything is (among other reasons) a consequence of this. However, maybe people will see the light and go with free software instead (as in freedom, not beer, etc).
- alias_neo 5y ago
  Free software is a great solution for software, the more people have that attitude and help fund, contribute to and drive the usage of free software, the better it becomes. Unfortunately, it doesn't necessarily work for "entertainment", because entertainment is consumable. You always want new music, new movies, new games, I don't think we've found a way to make those free (libre) yes.
- bluecalm 5y ago
  To start developing free software you need to be in already pretty good position financially or in privileged one where someone else pays your bills no matter what you do (some academics are in the position). For me if only free software was the choices I would be first forced to go work for some evil corp to make money and then maybe start my project at some point having much less time and energy. Making something a lot of people want and charging them for it is an awesome feature of copyright law. I don't want it to go away.
Felk 5y ago
Note that this is from 2012
- diimdeep 5y ago
  Yes, this is most recent information that I have found https://www.itassetmanagement.net/2016/10/31/secondary-software-2016/ https://www.itassetmanagement.net/2016/10/31/secondary-softw...
nske 5y ago
Old news but definitely good. No downsides that I can see for the consumers. Sadly we have since started seeing all big companies move to a SAAS subscription-based model so in practice it seems to become less relevant with time as it's only meaningful on software under perpetual licenses. But at least Windows Server is still a big one that can save a lot of money -and that can also help struggling/downsizing companies by allowing them to sell licenses they no longer need.

Depends on your viewpoint. The current mess with software rentals and cloud-based everything is (among other reasons) a consequence of this. However, maybe people will see the light and go with free software instead (as in freedom, not beer, etc).

alias_neo 5y ago
Free software is a great solution for software, the more people have that attitude and help fund, contribute to and drive the usage of free software, the better it becomes. Unfortunately, it doesn't necessarily work for "entertainment", because entertainment is consumable. You always want new music, new movies, new games, I don't think we've found a way to make those free (libre) yes.
bluecalm 5y ago
To start developing free software you need to be in already pretty good position financially or in privileged one where someone else pays your bills no matter what you do (some academics are in the position). For me if only free software was the choices I would be first forced to go work for some evil corp to make money and then maybe start my project at some point having much less time and energy. Making something a lot of people want and charging them for it is an awesome feature of copyright law. I don't want it to go away.

Felk 5y ago

Note that this is from 2012

diimdeep 5y ago
Yes, this is most recent information that I have found https://www.itassetmanagement.net/2016/10/31/secondary-software-2016/ https://www.itassetmanagement.net/2016/10/31/secondary-softw...

nske 5y ago

Old news but definitely good. No downsides that I can see for the consumers. Sadly we have since started seeing all big companies move to a SAAS subscription-based model so in practice it seems to become less relevant with time as it's only meaningful on software under perpetual licenses. But at least Windows Server is still a big one that can save a lot of money -and that can also help struggling/downsizing companies by allowing them to sell licenses they no longer need.