[OT] Funny folk joining Yahoo Groups

[Scott Kane]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richmond Mathewson" <geradamas at yahoo.com>

> I couldn't agree with you more. I cannot, for the life of me understand 
> why folks who don't want to spend
> money behave so stupidly when there is a Free alternative to proprietary 
> software and OS-s:

Probably because most people lack the skills and or smarts to install and 
maintain *.nix.

> Whenever I install an OS on a client's computer (whatever the OS) I 
> install those 3 as standard; stops he piratically inclined Bulgarians dead 
> in their
> piratical tracks: no keygens, no cracks, no funny CDs from funny places, 
> NO MONEY.

There are three probems with free software as I see it.

1.  I'ts unsustainable.  No income = no future - ulitmately for anthing 
other than a large or widely uses application.  Audacity doesn't come even 
10% close to, say, Sonar (which I use weekly for voice over and music 
production work).

2. Choice simply is not there.  Niche products are rare in open source and 
free stuff.  Sure there are exceptions - but they are exceptions.

3. Market economics.  Critical mass ultimately makes free software (if 
widespread) a dead end as there simply is no money in it.  Money makes the 
world go round - and I wouldn't have it any other way!   ;-)

There is also the issue of comparitive features, GUI design (or lack there 
of) and so on.

Scott Kane