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I think the BSD license can result in "tragedy of the commons" scenarios where maximizing individual freedom has worse total consequences than would have result
by delano 14y ago
I think the BSD license can result in "tragedy of the commons" scenarios where maximizing individual freedom has worse total consequences than would have resulted by applying regulation to maximize societal freedom instead.
There is no tragedy of the commons in software b/c there is no scarcity. Why shouldn't everyone get as much as they can?
re: "FreeBSD is dwindling" and "Linux is growing hugely", it's an improper comparison. There are many distributions of Linux and only one FreeBSD. And regardless, FreeBSD exceeded their fundraising goal for this year:
http://freebsdfoundation.blogspot.ca/2013/01/thank-you-for-helping-us-exceed-our.html http://freebsdfoundation.blogspot.ca/2013/01/thank-you-for-h...
- sergiosgc 14y ago“There is no tragedy of the commons in software b/c there is no scarcity„ Code is information, and information has zero marginal copy costs. Nevertheless, there is scarcity. Code needs maintenance, and maintenance costs man hours. So, by consuming man hours into dead end projects that will ultimately fail to be self sufficient, BSD licenses may trigger a tragedy of the Commons. I don't think that is the case. Not all projects require corporate backing. I'm just pointing out the fallacy in your argument.
- cjbprime 14y agoAh, I was talking purely about the Linux and FreeBSD kernels, not distributions. I agree that FreeBSD exceeded its fundraising goal, but this isn't how I would want to measure its level of contribution.