[FSF-India] Help me out...

[Pappu]

On Wed, Jul 11, 2001 at 11:40:21AM +0530, Rajkumar S. wrote:
> On Wed, 11 Jul 2001, Pappu wrote:
> 
> > 2) If you develop non-free software, what guarantee do I have that people
> >    will pay money for it, rather than copy it illegally from a friend?
> 
> Why should I pay for free software when I can just copy it from my
> friend?
See my first question. In the second question, I was refering to
the large number of computer users (atleast in India) who use nonfree
software that they have copied from a friendly neighbourhood vendor.

> In a place where people would rather illegally copy a software than
> pay for it, what are the chances of revenue generation if the software
> can be copied legally?
Practically, as far as I have seen, a home user copies software from a 
friend, legally or illegally, and a corporate user rather buys it. 
Not many home user gets arrested today for software piracy. So vendors
of non free software depend on the few who choose to buy their software,
and ignores the majority that pirates it. (It helps bussiness grow by
getting users addicted). 
So if you are the type of person who buys non free software, why not 
buy free software?

> 
> Personally I think to do business with free software requires a new
> business model. The MS style sale of license will not work for free
> software. 
Does it work for nonfree software? Majority of locally assembled machines
are sold with non free software that is not purchased. Machines from
established computer vendors have licensed non free software. They can
have free software instead, without affecting bussiness. Please check 
with vendors who already sell machines with free software. They pay
the distributor and inturn charges the customer. The money is still there.

> Free Software companies should provide the customers  solution and 
> support rather than products.
Even non free software vendors must do that. No one can survive by selling
licenses at all.
> 
> raj
> 
> _______________________________________________
> http://mail.gnu.org.in/mailman/listinfo/fsf-india)
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