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@SteveTheDragon thats not communism or socialism, it is capitalism. Capitalism allows people to give things away for free, and it is their choice under what terms they do so (that is the key). The fact that you can pick 20 different types of open source licenses, or none at all, is capitalism.
If it were communism you wouldnt even have the option to decide to open source your code, the government would just take it from you and then set whatever demands on you they wish on your own code.
The confusion is understandable. The problem is: what does ownership mean in this case. You can't own the Linux kernel. It's impossible to have control over it, as soon an it's on other people's devices.
It's not the software that is property, it's the copyright. The right to exercise the monopoly on the use of this specific piece of code.
That's the right, managed by all the licences. People working on free software, don't want to go into the business of monetising copyright.
Monetising copyright is a specialised business, and it hinders development. It makes economical sense to make free software and make a living installing it or running it.
@SteveTheDragon
@frank87 @freemo @SteveTheDragon Personally I’d even argue that monetizing copyright is very anti-capitalist. Using the law to enforce restrictions on your users has nothing to do with the economic ideas capitalism is based on such as supply and demand. Rights and power are not capital. Capital is physical goods, services and currency.
If the proprietary software industry was truly capitalist, software would cost very little, because it is infinitely copy-able with little to no effort.
As a free software company I make money mostly by selling things that actually make sense to sell. I don’t sell people the rights to use my software. I sell services, you can pay me to build you custom software, hosting or consulting.
Exactly open-source is more capitalism than lack of open-source.. The fact that market is free enough to let you undercut it at your discretion is the very capitalistic.
