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!news3.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: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 18:46:43 -0500 From: tmoran@acm.org Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: OT: was Re: and visual library once again References: X-Newsreader: Tom's custom newsreader Message-ID: Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 18:46:43 -0500 NNTP-Posting-Host: 24.6.102.223 X-Trace: sv3-CqpS8oQnoiD0xBD4Ur05tT502GMUhiKp/Qc/0qGA5u1LC6HzENYNY4W3t/NXDjGlDku28K5yC8IaFzM!L5vq7FuGOnpaS4fjx7Tm+MjYWAXW0wd1Fr1I6wMdE8kgk4Uq/0dLOfQnMz9NMI9PFxXDO9wPBS2W 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:5969 Date: 2005-10-26T18:46:43-05:00 List-Id: > Steve: In 5 to 100 years all programs will be GPL'd. > economists: Only [category B] will pay programmers to produce public > goods programs. > Tom: So in 5 to 100 years programmers will be employees of [category B]? > (Statements condensed for clarity.) No. Not "only [category B] will pay programmers so all programmers will be employed by [category B]" but rather: >> The economists point out that to the extent programs are "public goods" >> the market will undersupply them, leaving it to government or other >> organizations not guided by the market to pay programmers. > There's a hidden assumption in that argument, namely that "GPL'd" is a > subset of "public goods". If GPL'd programs aren't public goods, then > your conclusion about who will pay programmers is invalid. To not be a "Public Good", it would have to either be exclusive - easy to control who gets a copy, or rivalrous - if you have it, it will be less valuable to me (a CIA cryptography program for instance). Offhand I can't think of an example of GPLing such a program. Further, I said "the market will undersupply", not "the market will supply zero, so only non-market orgs will supply". Note, BTW, that Microsoft's anti-piracy efforts are an attempt to raise exclusiveness, so their programs are not "Public Goods". > The thought has indeed crossed my mind that maybe the term "public > goods", or the economic theory you referenced, is only relevant to > material goods. The classic example of a "public good" is national defense. If I get more, it doesn't mean you get less so it's nonrivalrous, and it's very difficult to exclude you from the benefit provided to me. Hardly a "material good". I suggest spending some time with a good intro econ textbook.