Why shouldn't closed software be written and sold, as long as the transaction is voluntary? It's no more restrictive than any other type of contract - and contracts are the foundation of the economics surrounding any creative work.
It's hardly surprising the FSF's stance, given their opinion on similar matters.
Actually, depending on the market, it does. It wants everyone to pirate their software. That way they can get them hooked on it, become the de-facto standard, and then work on doing away with pirating (which is the stage they're actually up to).
Pirating software increases a software's value if enough people do it, not decrease it.
Who really benefits from a market flooded with underpriced gadgets though? it just disncourages competition, as not all companies are part of media/software giants and so they can't pull in cash from other sources.
Right. Because I said dead-tree books would dissapear in 20 years time.
By your logic, records would still be played. After all, they give a much more crisp and organic feel to the music. Whereas digital music is too mechanical and fake.
Wow, this sounds great. Shame I can't take advantage of it, what with them being evil by deciding to enter a market that will force them to do evil things.
(Unless your time perspective is 100+ years, in which case there are a number of generations having to die off.)
However long it takes to get PDAs up to paperback size in cheaply (Yes, just as radio killed newspapers
Which was an auditory format supposedly killing a textual format.
movies killed the radio
Which was a visual format supposedly killing an auditory format.
TV killed movies
If you mean movie theatres, they're definitely dying out. However what was needed was the ability to replicate the positive aspects of the movie experience in your home for a cheap price. We're definitely getting there (price is the sticking point). They're also being artificially kept alive by the fact movies aren't released for the tv at the same time as they are for the movie theatre.
and the video killed TV
That was a user-paid in-chunk delivery system supposedly replacing a user-free instantaneous streaming delivery system.
People now prefer paper books because of the feel and e-books have a glare. I personally think these are old fuddy duddy opinions that are borne from people becoming familiar with one particular technology, that the following generations won't have once the technology is here in a desirable format at an affordable price.
PDAs (as they get to larger sizes) will do away with cozy books as well. Although it will require a generation dying off before they're done away completely.
English from 1,000 years ago is translatable (I believe no current language has existed for 10,000 years). If they're not complete morons, they'll have the ability to translate current English.
OP raises point X, you refute point Y. Well done. With such tactics you must be a master debater in your local area.
Just because something is dated, doesn't mean it has no relevance. After all, many people claim Shakespeare has relevance to today's society. However I think everyone would agree it's clearly dated.
A private company can do whatever it wants, on private property. But last time I checked, internet connections went through public property. Therefore they have to abide by certain rules, or stop polluting and litering public space.
If Private Company X can get an internet connection to someone's door without going through public space once, then they can do whatever they want. Unfortunately AFAIK they currently can't.
Wow, I'm really surprised that this article could completely miss online IF (otherwise known as MUDs). Not only are there commercial entities successfully running online IF (such as Iron Realms it allows for a much larger story to be told.
The big problem with IF is that you can't do whatever you want. You're limited to what the creator was able to forsee and program. Not so with MUDs, which are able to have long and rich stories. The reason MUDs are able to overcome this limitation is that they have staff running it all the time, who are constantly adding new code updates and story updates.
An example of a player run storyline is in ArmageddonMUD, which is based on Dark Sun. In it a player playing a dwarf decided to free his fellow dwarves who were slaves in the obsidian mines, and lay seige to the city-state that had kept them enslaved. This was entirely thought up by players, and with the staff's help, done by the players.
MMOs sometimes attempt to be roleplaying games, to enable an interactive story to be told. But they're even further limited by the fact that, you can't do what you want. You can only do what animations have been coded. Again, MUDs don't have this limitation, with any action being able to be provided by emoting. MUDs have the advantage over IFs in that they are multiuser. Whereas in an IF there's no-one but yourself.
So I'm very surprised that something discussing interactive fiction, including it's future (which IMO are MUDs, with more and more being created every day while others continue to be run for over 10 years), didn't feel the need to mention MUDs.
Slashdot Mirror
Why shouldn't closed software be written and sold, as long as the transaction is voluntary? It's no more restrictive than any other type of contract - and contracts are the foundation of the economics surrounding any creative work.
It's hardly surprising the FSF's stance, given their opinion on similar matters.
the other candidate in the general election was even more unpalatable to me.
You should write to whoever deals with your ballots to let them know there was an error on your sheet that made it so only two candidates appeared.
The businesses have only been letting the Republicans be pro-government because the businesses get to decide what is good for the government.
job^H^H^Hjab.
It's like this country is moving to a pseudo-communist form of government :(
This would have been much more accurate to simple say "It's like this country is moving to a pseudo-dictatorist form of government."
But I guess that doesn't allow you to take a job at an economic ideal.
Where does finding the WMDs in Iraq come into it?
I'm paralyzed from the waist down you insensitive clod!
You have a choice if you use their software, they don't have a choice if you pirate their software.
Actually, depending on the market, it does. It wants everyone to pirate their software. That way they can get them hooked on it, become the de-facto standard, and then work on doing away with pirating (which is the stage they're actually up to).
Pirating software increases a software's value if enough people do it, not decrease it.
I somehow doubt they can lose any more credibility.
This is why I block ACs and rarely read them. Not that I found it insulting.
You make it sound like any anti-monopoly commission has any power in America.
Slight difference. Muslims didn't democratically elect the Al-Qaeda. The American people supposedly did elect their government.
Is there a "censor your website" function as well?
Who really benefits from a market flooded with underpriced gadgets though? it just disncourages competition, as not all companies are part of media/software giants and so they can't pull in cash from other sources.
Right. Because I said dead-tree books would dissapear in 20 years time.
By your logic, records would still be played. After all, they give a much more crisp and organic feel to the music. Whereas digital music is too mechanical and fake.
Wow, this sounds great. Shame I can't take advantage of it, what with them being evil by deciding to enter a market that will force them to do evil things.
(Unless your time perspective is 100+ years, in which case there are a number of generations having to die off.)
However long it takes to get PDAs up to paperback size in cheaply (Yes, just as radio killed newspapers
Which was an auditory format supposedly killing a textual format.
movies killed the radio
Which was a visual format supposedly killing an auditory format.
TV killed movies
If you mean movie theatres, they're definitely dying out. However what was needed was the ability to replicate the positive aspects of the movie experience in your home for a cheap price. We're definitely getting there (price is the sticking point). They're also being artificially kept alive by the fact movies aren't released for the tv at the same time as they are for the movie theatre.
and the video killed TV
That was a user-paid in-chunk delivery system supposedly replacing a user-free instantaneous streaming delivery system.
People now prefer paper books because of the feel and e-books have a glare. I personally think these are old fuddy duddy opinions that are borne from people becoming familiar with one particular technology, that the following generations won't have once the technology is here in a desirable format at an affordable price.
PDAs (as they get to larger sizes) will do away with cozy books as well. Although it will require a generation dying off before they're done away completely.
Speak for yourself. I'll only be 71 then.
English from 1,000 years ago is translatable (I believe no current language has existed for 10,000 years). If they're not complete morons, they'll have the ability to translate current English.
OP raises point X, you refute point Y. Well done. With such tactics you must be a master debater in your local area.
Just because something is dated, doesn't mean it has no relevance. After all, many people claim Shakespeare has relevance to today's society. However I think everyone would agree it's clearly dated.
A private company can do whatever it wants, on private property. But last time I checked, internet connections went through public property. Therefore they have to abide by certain rules, or stop polluting and litering public space.
If Private Company X can get an internet connection to someone's door without going through public space once, then they can do whatever they want. Unfortunately AFAIK they currently can't.
Agreed. That oil rig really is one old dinosaur.
Wow, I'm really surprised that this article could completely miss online IF (otherwise known as MUDs). Not only are there commercial entities successfully running online IF (such as Iron Realms it allows for a much larger story to be told.
The big problem with IF is that you can't do whatever you want. You're limited to what the creator was able to forsee and program. Not so with MUDs, which are able to have long and rich stories. The reason MUDs are able to overcome this limitation is that they have staff running it all the time, who are constantly adding new code updates and story updates.
An example of a player run storyline is in ArmageddonMUD, which is based on Dark Sun. In it a player playing a dwarf decided to free his fellow dwarves who were slaves in the obsidian mines, and lay seige to the city-state that had kept them enslaved. This was entirely thought up by players, and with the staff's help, done by the players.
MMOs sometimes attempt to be roleplaying games, to enable an interactive story to be told. But they're even further limited by the fact that, you can't do what you want. You can only do what animations have been coded. Again, MUDs don't have this limitation, with any action being able to be provided by emoting. MUDs have the advantage over IFs in that they are multiuser. Whereas in an IF there's no-one but yourself.
So I'm very surprised that something discussing interactive fiction, including it's future (which IMO are MUDs, with more and more being created every day while others continue to be run for over 10 years), didn't feel the need to mention MUDs.