On Tue, 2005-01-04 at 10:54 -0700, Eric "Shubes" wrote: > I'm finding this conversation interesting, and would like to make an > observation. > > der.hans wrote: > > Am 03. Jan, 2005 schwätzte Trent Shipley so: > > > > > >>On Monday 2005-01-03 00:18, der.hans wrote: > >> > >> > > >>> > >>>We need something that is: > >>> > >>>* freely available to all people/organizations > >> > >>Ok. > >> > >> > >>>* has no limit on how much raw material ( such as copies of Free Software > >>>in its current state ) is available > >> > >>This is typical of all data-centric goods: information. > > > > > > Yup. We could possibly include air as a metaphor because it's generally > > not limited. Those of us in the desert know that water is limited, though. > > > > I've been thinking that software is different from most other products > in that it is not consumable. This results in the lack of need for raw > material, so I think it's related to this point, but is a different way > of looking at this aspect. Nearly everything I can think of, when used, > is consumed to one degree or another. A program doesn't deteriorate with > use. > > As a side note, one might even argue that a program becomes more robust > with increased use, along with active maintenance. > > I think that the non-consumable aspect of software is very significant, > and am interested in what others may think about it. > > Or how about this, closed source software is consumable. You typically use it for x amount of time then pay for an upgrade, basically throwing out the old version. While open source software is more like a recycling ideal. Let someone, anyone take the raw materials of out dated software and recycle it into new updated usable software. The only reason I wouldn't consider closed source recyclable would be because you can't collect it out of the garbage^H^H^H^H^H^H^H/dev/tape and create something new from it you have to buy a modifiable license from the original owner. -- Bill Warner --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change you mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss