From: tyrell@seaotter.micro.umn.edu (john drexler)
Subject: harmful effects of gnu software II
Organization: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis: Under Grad Workstation Lab.
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 04:45:36 GMT

I was expecting all negative comments when I posted here (after all, the typical
reaction when one's cherished beliefs are threatened is hostility and 
shortsightedness). What's wrong with THIS argument, I hear you ask:

	hey, GNU is free.
	GNU is revolutionary.
	Everybody gets to use GNU.

	Hence -- GNU is going to POSITIVELY transform the marketplace!

	To be fair, not everyone out there is taken in by this.

	I can't understand why you people haven't figured out why this logic is so wrong!  Do you really believe that by giving out free software that industry 
is just busting to make something to better it? (After all -- they know DARN
WELL that if they make a little better compiler than gcc, people will be just 
DYING to hand over $700 a computer just 'to have the best') Gee -- I wonder why
its against the law for Intel to give away free chips!

	Look -- one of you made a damn good point, and I reiterate here just
for emphasis:

	GNU is going to straight-jacket small companies a hell of a lot more 
than the large companies like IBM, Borland and Microsoft, who have enough money
and marketing resources to take a hit from GNU. Who in their right mind, in 
a volatile market like todays, is going to ENTER the UNIX market (where free
software is rampant) and put money into creating OS or compilers?

	Pirating is already driving the price of existing software thru the 
roof. GNU is simply driving the competition out. Free software is a
DISincentive, not an incentive into making innovative products.

	You have to ask yourself -- how much better would a compiler have to be
in order for you to actually pay money for it (enough to justify the cost of
development). THIS is why free software discourages competition. Because 
industry has to create software so significantly better, to warrant a profit in 
the face of this artificial competition, they simply move to other markets.
	If you don't believe this, mail me a message saying that you will pay
me $700 dollars for a'slightly better compiler'that I would be willing to write.
If I get enough responses (and $350 in advance-- because hell, I don't believe
you) I will write it.

	You think the software industry is the only one that has crap in it? 
Where have you BEEN the last 150 years? Crap, is simply an incentive for 
entrepeneurs to make things better --the incentive is the profit. TVs got a lot 
better without some smart-ass giving them away for the 'good of society', 
just because he/she thought the industry sucked.

	To those of you who are willing to live just off the money given from 
'technical support' for software -- well hell, I sure am glad I don't have to
call anybody every time I turn the knob on my TV! The point is, GOOD software
is the software with the LEAST support... And GNU short-circuits the incentive
to create that higher form of software because they delete the profit.

*Sigh*. I suppose that in the long run, GNU will fizzle (or UNIX will die) and
we will get the decent, software/OS in the end. I really feel sorry for those of
you who truly think that GNU is going to help things out, especially in saying
that 'GNU will help uproot old, entrenched software'. Free software has probably
already lengthed the life of such dinosaurs as DOS, etc, simply because 
companies don't DARE get involved in the new OS, and keep on making products for
the old, stupider systems simply on the principle of profit. Witness the tons
of commercial products made for DOS and the trickle of commercial products made
for UNIX. 

Oh well -- I am sure I can't convince all of you, but I can damn well try.

John

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John Drexler			"There is no such thing as a free lunch"
--Coming to you live from the   "There is a sucker born every minute"
  University of Minnesota...		--P T Barnum
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