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List:       kde-promo
Subject:    Re: [kde-promo] Re: [Important] When talking about Aegypten or Kroupware on fairs or to the press,..
From:       Mark Bucciarelli <mark () easymailings ! com>
Date:       2003-02-04 1:06:18
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On Monday 03 February 2003 5:29 pm, Marc Mutz wrote:

> the government decides where the money goes and
> not the competitiors by themselves through mutual competition. In this
> sense, it's an interference with the free market, b/c the government
> misuses it's monopoly to foster a particular technology or development
> model.

This makes absolute sense when you are talking about physical goods which have 
scarcity.  However, when you are talking about spending tax dollars to create 
goods with no scarcity, I think the picture is not so clear.

For example, the government has no such reservations about funding basic 
research at Universities.  This investment produces ideas, that build on 
other ideas and which in turn are built upon to advance our society.  This is 
generally considered a good investment.

Funding Free Software has more similarities to research than finding the 
lowest bidder for new carpeting in the state house!

The other big difference is that software is characterized by decreasing 
marginal utility.  For example, when first writing a text editor, providing a 
global search and replace has a high value per time spent creating it.  
However, as time goes by, things like automatic outlining and revision 
tracking have proportionately less value.  When you get to the point of 
adding mouse cursors that dance while you surf the web, you have a monopoly 
just looking for things to do.

I guess I think this is important for KDE promo because there are significant, 
special, and NEW arguments for why organizations should use Free Software.  
It will be cheaper for everyone in the long run.

Mark


 
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