This is my first direct posting to/. I've read a number of the FAQs, but didn't see a limit to how long these postings could be, but judging by what I've seen there is one, so I probably need to do a
"journal" article to say everything I have to say about this. If anyone would care to advise me how
to do/., email me at hart@pglaf.org/// REPLY: It is nice to be remembered, and to be quoted in
an accurate manner, many thanks! The idea[l] of "pay per" is a hidden goal of many business plans--
particularly those of "The MBA Generation" who feel there is no limit to how to get the bottom line.
Bill Gates started that aspect when he copyrighted a version of BASIC when BASIC had always been free
before that. Today we tend to forget that computers originally came with operating systems, programs
and that buying them separate was a "new innovation" that made Microsoft what it is today. In modern
systems we simply presume that $100s of dollars will go to Microsoft just to turn it on, unless those
systems are running Linux or the like. One solution is simply to skip half the new OSs. Another is
simply to only buy used equipment. Many people would be surprised to know that someone such as me,
one of the Internet pioneers, has never owned a brand new computer. I find I can do quite well via
garage sales, refurbs, etc., and can still have a worldwide impact from a dialup modem.
The "new" idea of the Internet/Web is that it SHOULD be populated by people who have more dollars
than sense and who are willing to pay lots and lots of those dollars via the Internet.
"The MBA Generation" looks at the Internet as just another geographic area to be colonized much as
Spain, France and the UK did a couple hundred years ago.
Thus, the idea[l] is that we should PAY for everything we see and do, and OWN nothing at all.
If you don't believe any of this, just talk to anyone who has bought an eBook reader device, and
then found just how much it will cost to fill it up.
If you can't load thousands of free Project Gutenberg eBooks on your device, then it is obvious,
or at least should be, that you are living in that new "rentier economy."
More later, if there is interest.
Michael S. Hart
Founder
Project Gutenberg
Inventor of eBooks
http://www.gutenberg.org/http://www.gutenberg.cc/
Slashdot Mirror
This is my first direct posting to /. I've read a number of the FAQs, but didn't see a limit to how long these postings could be, but judging by what I've seen there is one, so I probably need to do a
"journal" article to say everything I have to say about this. If anyone would care to advise me how
to do /., email me at hart@pglaf.org /// REPLY: It is nice to be remembered, and to be quoted in
an accurate manner, many thanks! The idea[l] of "pay per" is a hidden goal of many business plans--
particularly those of "The MBA Generation" who feel there is no limit to how to get the bottom line.
Bill Gates started that aspect when he copyrighted a version of BASIC when BASIC had always been free
before that. Today we tend to forget that computers originally came with operating systems, programs
and that buying them separate was a "new innovation" that made Microsoft what it is today. In modern
systems we simply presume that $100s of dollars will go to Microsoft just to turn it on, unless those
systems are running Linux or the like. One solution is simply to skip half the new OSs. Another is
simply to only buy used equipment. Many people would be surprised to know that someone such as me,
one of the Internet pioneers, has never owned a brand new computer. I find I can do quite well via
garage sales, refurbs, etc., and can still have a worldwide impact from a dialup modem.
The "new" idea of the Internet/Web is that it SHOULD be populated by people who have more dollars
than sense and who are willing to pay lots and lots of those dollars via the Internet.
"The MBA Generation" looks at the Internet as just another geographic area to be colonized much as
Spain, France and the UK did a couple hundred years ago.
Thus, the idea[l] is that we should PAY for everything we see and do, and OWN nothing at all.
If you don't believe any of this, just talk to anyone who has bought an eBook reader device, and
then found just how much it will cost to fill it up.
If you can't load thousands of free Project Gutenberg eBooks on your device, then it is obvious,
or at least should be, that you are living in that new "rentier economy."
More later, if there is interest.
Michael S. Hart
Founder
Project Gutenberg
Inventor of eBooks
http://www.gutenberg.org/
http://www.gutenberg.cc/