In the early days, the FSF sold magtapes with GNU software on them - the charge wasn't for the IP, it was for the material and labor required to copy the tape(s

In the early days, the FSF sold magtapes with GNU software on them - the charge wasn't for the IP, it was for the material and labor required to copy the tape(s). See http://web.cecs.pdx.edu/~trent/gnu/bull/16/gnu_bulletin_28.html http://web.cecs.pdx.edu/~trent/gnu/bull/16/gnu_bulletin_28.h... for a sample FSF order form from June 1993.