From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.9 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00 autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Thread: 103376,915d37e7b8e0ec69 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit Path: g2news1.google.com!news4.google.com!border1.nntp.dca.giganews.com!nntp.giganews.com!local01.nntp.dca.giganews.com!nntp.comcast.com!news.comcast.com.POSTED!not-for-mail NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2005 17:16:29 -0500 From: tmoran@acm.org Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: and visual library once again References: X-Newsreader: Tom's custom newsreader Message-ID: Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2005 17:16:29 -0500 NNTP-Posting-Host: 24.6.102.223 X-Trace: sv3-6JUZx7/OlX5aAlmhiRFD3s8hahizU2yDve8LCwJtuBIhBeh5reOhtcTCBCQmzOS3rFEMfqSyY4TQMIs!aUo3ZcJ0qEyUvxPDpCDm+jwV04ChDH1D3chXxdg8mR31ynb1Vz/+5UTUg+4SsJGnJ3uNKTOhRAaY X-Complaints-To: abuse@comcast.net X-DMCA-Complaints-To: dmca@comcast.net X-Abuse-and-DMCA-Info: Please be sure to forward a copy of ALL headers X-Abuse-and-DMCA-Info: Otherwise we will be unable to process your complaint properly X-Postfilter: 1.3.32 Xref: g2news1.google.com comp.lang.ada:5941 Date: 2005-10-25T17:16:29-05:00 List-Id: > > The economists point out that to the extent programs are "public goods" > ... > You also spoke of programs that are "public goods". As > you wrote that in response to Steve's words about GPL'd programs, you > obviously meant "public goods" to mean free software. "Public goods" is a technical economics term, not a reference to GPL or "Free software". From "Principles of Economics" by Ruffin and Gregory: "Public goods are characterized by nonrival consumption and nonexclusion." My use of a program does not detract from your ability to use it (nonrivalrous), and it is relatively difficult to exclude "free riders" from use of the program without paying for it (nonexclusion).