Comments on: Free Software as a Liberal Project http://timothyblee.com/2009/10/22/free-software-as-a-liberal-project/ A Blog by Timothy B. Lee Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:37:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Bill Sullivan http://timothyblee.com/2009/10/22/free-software-as-a-liberal-project/comment-page-1/#comment-7193 Bill Sullivan Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:26:19 +0000 http://timothyblee.com/?p=1362#comment-7193 Excellent post and point. The MySQL saga began an interesting chapter recently when Stallman, among others, signed an open letter calling on the EU to block Oracle from acquiring MySQL as part of the Sun purchase. It is based on concerns about competition, which is an interesting position to take on GPLed software. Of course, we (libertarians) don't love the "free software"-ites for their economics, but for other aspects of their idealism. :) The open letter: http://keionline.org/ec-mysql Excellent post and point. The MySQL saga began an interesting chapter recently when Stallman, among others, signed an open letter calling on the EU to block Oracle from acquiring MySQL as part of the Sun purchase. It is based on concerns about competition, which is an interesting position to take on GPLed software. Of course, we (libertarians) don’t love the “free software”-ites for their economics, but for other aspects of their idealism. :)

The open letter: http://keionline.org/ec-mysql

]]> By: Timothy B Lee http://timothyblee.com/2009/10/22/free-software-as-a-liberal-project/comment-page-1/#comment-7009 Timothy B Lee Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:54:17 +0000 http://timothyblee.com/?p=1362#comment-7009 Oops, MySQL is still owned by Sun, which Oracle is trying to acquire. Also, IBM has a profitable LInux business that works by selling support and hardware. Oops, MySQL is still owned by Sun, which Oracle is trying to acquire. Also, IBM has a profitable LInux business that works by selling support and hardware.

]]> By: Timothy B Lee http://timothyblee.com/2009/10/22/free-software-as-a-liberal-project/comment-page-1/#comment-7008 Timothy B Lee Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:52:50 +0000 http://timothyblee.com/?p=1362#comment-7008 Rhayader, For a thorough answer, I'd refer you <a href="http://www.softwarefreedom.org/podcast/2009/aug/18/0x14/" rel="nofollow">here.</a> The thumbnail version: free software business models typically involve giving away software and selling a related product, such as consulting and support. The first company to do this was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cygnus_Solutions" rel="nofollow">Cygnus</a>, which was built to provide tech support for GNU. Cygnus was purchased by Red Hat, which has a similar business model. MySQL (now owned by Oracle) is another example of a highly success business built around free software. So yes, "free as in speech" software is almost always "free as in beer" as well. But that doesn't mean you can't make money from it. Rhayader,

For a thorough answer, I’d refer you here. The thumbnail version: free software business models typically involve giving away software and selling a related product, such as consulting and support. The first company to do this was Cygnus, which was built to provide tech support for GNU. Cygnus was purchased by Red Hat, which has a similar business model. MySQL (now owned by Oracle) is another example of a highly success business built around free software. So yes, “free as in speech” software is almost always “free as in beer” as well. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make money from it.

]]> By: Parker http://timothyblee.com/2009/10/22/free-software-as-a-liberal-project/comment-page-1/#comment-7006 Parker Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:48:45 +0000 http://timothyblee.com/?p=1362#comment-7006 Hey Tim - Thanks for this little history lesson about the free software movement. A lot of this was new to me, and really helped put it into context. Hey Tim -
Thanks for this little history lesson about the free software movement. A lot of this was new to me, and really helped put it into context.

]]> By: Rhayader http://timothyblee.com/2009/10/22/free-software-as-a-liberal-project/comment-page-1/#comment-7005 Rhayader Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:48:09 +0000 http://timothyblee.com/?p=1362#comment-7005 It sounds like you might end up touching on this in your next post, but I do have a question: is there much software out there that is free as in speech but <i>not</i> free as in beer? I love free software, but as someone who's a novice (at best) when it comes to programming, most of the direct benefits I see have to do with the "free as in beer" side of things. I understand the distinction between the two types of freedom, but have a little trouble seeing how an open source project could generate profitable sales. It sounds like you might end up touching on this in your next post, but I do have a question: is there much software out there that is free as in speech but not free as in beer?

I love free software, but as someone who’s a novice (at best) when it comes to programming, most of the direct benefits I see have to do with the “free as in beer” side of things. I understand the distinction between the two types of freedom, but have a little trouble seeing how an open source project could generate profitable sales.

]]>