[ILUG-BOM] Re: Opensource for a Small Manufacturing unit

[Rony]

Sachin G Nambiar wrote:
>>
>> Sachin wants to modify a FOSS license to suit his thinking. He will 
>> have to choose a non-FOSS license that suits him. Its like a club. You 
>> like it, you join it. If you like another club, join that club. You 
>> cannot take the rules of one club and impose them on another.
> 
> true Rony except i consider myself part of this club. I have no 
> intention to modify any license whatsoever. I had a basic disagreement 
> regarding distribution of free software which i voiced in this forum 
> where else would i go to? That is all there is to it. nothing more.. i 
> wont stop using free software or advocating it neverthless.
> 
>

Your basic worry is that if you allow anyone to modify and redristibute 
your software, then you will loose out on the money _that_ person makes 
on playing with your software. While your worry is justified and I have 
been through this thought process, the FOSS ideology does not look at it 
as a loss but as an _investment_ for much higher gains in the future. 
Here lies the basic difference between closed ideologies and free ( 
libre ) ones. Closed ideologies are for making quick but limited bucks. 
Open ideologies are for big businesses, huge returns in the long run. 
What would you like? ;)

There is an example to illustrate this point. In an interview, veteran 
Bollywood actor Rajendra Kumar was once asked why he had done a film for 
a director at a much lower price than was the norm. He replied that the 
director was a hit director who would give him the break that he wanted 
and expose his talent to the world. Therefore the lower price was 
actually his _investment_ in further advancing his career and thats what 
exactly happened. He became a hit actor after that film.

Just as a company spends millions on advertising its products, even 
distributing its samples free. In the same way, free distribution and 
modification of your software acts as your publicity and advertisement. 
Libre means you cannot hoodwink anyone and make any code thats hidden 
from others. Its transparent, so if your are good, you get recognition 
and that is the beginning of your career graph moving upwards. Software 
thats released under FOSS licenses always recognizes its writer _even_ 
when it is used by others for further modification or distribution. When 
you work for a closed software company, your name will never appear on 
the software. It is only the company brand that appears on it. However 
in libre software, you keep your title and the license ensures that 
others respect it. Libre software also gives you the freedom to take up 
new projects and pursue new ideas, as your existing work can be looked 
after and contributed by others too after some time. It does not tie you 
down to protecting any secret formulas all your life. You have total 
freedom from piracy as your work is anyway available to everyone for 
free downloads. There is no money to make by copying your software. You 
make big bucks by providing support and customization for your software 
to corporate clients and the small and individual users get to use it 
free. So it benefits you as well as empowers the people with software 
thats affordable and customizable and expandable.

Regards,

Rony.

	
	
		
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