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You would pay not for copying but for creation. A software developer would be paid for solving new problems or customizing known solutions to them. Pretending

You would pay not for copying but for creation. A software developer would be paid for solving new problems or customizing known solutions to them. Pretending to "sell" shrinkwrapped information is stupid nonsense.

georgieporgie 15y ago
One of the great things about software development is that -- theoretically -- you can do a large amount of work up-front, then receive somewhat passive income by selling that creation. It seems to me that removing that interesting feature of software moves developers closer to what I generally hear described as serfdom, "wage slave", etc. Pretending to "sell" shrinkwrapped information is stupid nonsense. Care to elaborate?
- swombat 15y ago
  While in appearance it may appear that software developers would be harmed if copyright were abolished, I suspect that if that were to happen, software developers would become among the few information creators to get really rich out of it. After all, software is precisely what has helped the information flow faster and better. In a rapidly evolving, copyright-free world, custom software is king.
  - tzs 15y ago
    If that were correct, wouldn't we already see that effect in the world of free software? It's not quite copyright-free, but it should be close enough.
    - Natsu 15y ago
      Linus Torvalds hasn't done too badly for himself, as far as I know. But if you really want huge profit, you need a model that doesn't rely on copyright, like SaaS. Google got where they are with a combination of the Google Search and AdSense software-based services, neither of which rely on copyright.
Tyr42 15y ago
What is code, or application, but information. It's all just bits. Yet I can go to the store and buy photoshop and it comes in a shrinkwrapped box. And I'm okay with that, they but a lot of effort into making that tool, and I don't have the time/skill to make it myself so I will pay them for the time I saved by buying it instead of writing it myself or trying to work in mspaint.
tzs 15y ago
Who should pay for creation? And when should they pay?
- serichsen 15y ago
  It is happening right now. Recent example: http://www.indiegogo.com/SBCL-Threading-Improvements-1 http://www.indiegogo.com/SBCL-Threading-Improvements-1

georgieporgie 15y ago

One of the great things about software development is that -- theoretically -- you can do a large amount of work up-front, then receive somewhat passive income by selling that creation. It seems to me that removing that interesting feature of software moves developers closer to what I generally hear described as serfdom, "wage slave", etc. Pretending to "sell" shrinkwrapped information is stupid nonsense. Care to elaborate?

swombat 15y ago
While in appearance it may appear that software developers would be harmed if copyright were abolished, I suspect that if that were to happen, software developers would become among the few information creators to get really rich out of it. After all, software is precisely what has helped the information flow faster and better. In a rapidly evolving, copyright-free world, custom software is king.
- tzs 15y ago
  If that were correct, wouldn't we already see that effect in the world of free software? It's not quite copyright-free, but it should be close enough.
  - Natsu 15y ago
    Linus Torvalds hasn't done too badly for himself, as far as I know. But if you really want huge profit, you need a model that doesn't rely on copyright, like SaaS. Google got where they are with a combination of the Google Search and AdSense software-based services, neither of which rely on copyright.

Tyr42 15y ago

What is code, or application, but information. It's all just bits. Yet I can go to the store and buy photoshop and it comes in a shrinkwrapped box. And I'm okay with that, they but a lot of effort into making that tool, and I don't have the time/skill to make it myself so I will pay them for the time I saved by buying it instead of writing it myself or trying to work in mspaint.

tzs 15y ago

Who should pay for creation? And when should they pay?

serichsen 15y ago
It is happening right now. Recent example: http://www.indiegogo.com/SBCL-Threading-Improvements-1 http://www.indiegogo.com/SBCL-Threading-Improvements-1