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The current patent system is borked. Its for big companies to squash little guys. This article sums it up.

If you can get something for free (that meets your needs) you take it. If you can't, you make it or buy it. If cars became free, the car companies as we know them would disappear. People getting paid to do something keeps them motivated (much like the reason you complain about work but still go each day). People not getting paid are altruists. I like this view: Why does Open Source Software exist?

This article sums it up: I've invented the greatest compression algorithm ever .. and I'm keeping it a secret

Boy, I'm glad none of you guys are the ones that advocate free (as in beer) software. Just makes sense, if some plumbers started working for free, plumbing would be a bad business fast. Salaries for the ones asking to be paid wouldnt go up, thats for sure. Why open source software exists

I dont get all this.

If you want to write software and give it away, I have no problem with that.

If I want to write software and not give it away (and sell it), that should be my business.

Check out this article.

If I try to sell it and no one buys it, sucks for me, but it doesnt affect you.

Feel free to give away all the software you want. Personally, if someone makes money off a program I wrote, I have no problem if I get paid for my work. But again - to each his own.

Ig

Open Source is quaint... but like it or not people (even developers) have to eat.

Check out this article. Sort of sums it up whether you know it or not.