3 ms·

So what if I have a company that sells information and Wikipedia ruins my business by offering information for free? Edit: even if Wikipedia is non-profit, wha

• freehunter 15y ago
  That doesn't matter. There is no law nor any court ruling even in France against providing free services. Here is the entire key to the issue: >Bottin Cartographes argued that Google was only planning to give away the service for free until all the competitors had been driven out of business and then they would start charging. It's not about free services, it's about willfully plotting to gain marketshare via free services with specific intent on charging for the service once the competitors have been driven out. While I believe the French ruling is faulty (where is the proof?), this isn't an issue of free vs paid. The analogy only works if Wikipedia has specific intent to begin charging for access once your business is gone.
  • Tichy 15y ago
    How did they prove that Google was plotting that scheme?
    • freehunter 15y ago
      I have no idea. Like I mentioned, I'd like to see the proof before I believe Google was planning this. Obviously it was enough to convince the courts, but I know courts can be deceived and biased (especially when it's local companies vs foreign companies).
    • potatolicious 15y ago
      I don't know the specifics of this case, but Google did start charging for Maps last year for commercial users, at least in the US. That may be enough to prove intent?
      • Tichy 15y ago
        But they were sued for not charging. So if they are actually charging... It just doesn't seem to make any sense at all.