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Open Source R&D Tax Credit?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the never-get-past-the-lobyists dept.

Dan writes "The Center for American Progress is proposing an R&D tax credit for open source development." From the article: "Subsidizing open source software development can also be justified on grounds of economic efficiency. Open source software development enhances the ability of other developers to create new products. It also enhances the development and dissemination of knowledge and ideas more broadly. Since the benefits to the broader software development community and the economy as a whole go well beyond the users of an individual software product, a policy that subsidizes open source development would increase economic efficiency."

3 of 196 comments (clear)

  1. Re:How appropriate by Ziegenpeter · · Score: -1, Troll
    There's your credit! :P

    And here's your debit!

  2. Free (barter) transactions are taxable as well! by Ziegenpeter · · Score: -1, Troll
    Most open source software comes with a built-in tax break. No income, no income tax.

    I know this was intended as a joke, but this is not stricly true. Barter transaction are taxable. What happens is that the IRS will "estimate" the value of the service rendered or good manufactured, and tax both parties of the barter exchange on that. However, in most normal circumstances ("you fix my computer, and I give you a case of beer"), the value involved is far too small for the IRS to bother.

  3. I dont know 'bout you guys by __aalnoi707 · · Score: 0, Troll

    I think that this is a creat vicroty for the OpenSource commumnity. Encourageing OS development turns the heat up for the closed source developers (Microshaft). Giving them more incentive to develop means that we are going to see more companies giving up there source code and thus inceasing the quality of the product.