There is a limit to supply: the number of hardware unit able to run it.
Cost isn’t irrelevant. Either you burn software on floppy, cd or make it available over internet and download, all those have a cost. Also between cost or RD and development, documentation writing, there cost after sales with customer support and product patching.
Open source is like blogging. You bear the cost (hidden or not) to publish you work for which you are very rarely paid (directly or indirectly).
Once published, you lost control of potential benefit over your work,
I clearly remember the gpg développer calling for financial help after more Than 20years developing almost alone this crucial piece of software with almost 20k euros yearly income from standard job. I was working in paiement industry where this piece of software is the key element of the business protecting file transfert containing millions of euros. The company benefit was around 6billions euros a year and all this would not have been possible without a pci-dad certification based on gpg. Is it normal ? When I inform them that the author of their key piece of code so important to their business was struggling with just basic living, they didn’t move a finger. While myself as a self employed was. One of the first to send several hundred euros to this poor guy.
Once the new hit major info website, then Google or Facebook transférés some money, in an public relation initiative.
So this case is typical of why OSS is a financial failure.
When I patched ansible, I worked, I spent time and done intellectual work for this project, adding value , easing and solving problem users faced and extended the possibility of the software. When it was bought by redhat, I didn’t get a penny for my work. My family didn’t benefited from my work, as a father I failed to feed them from my work. So who can rejoice of such situation where work isn’t rewarded ? (Beside getting a little Github medal for having a PR accepted)
Cost isn’t irrelevant. Either you burn software on floppy, cd or make it available over internet and download, all those have a cost. Also between cost or RD and development, documentation writing, there cost after sales with customer support and product patching.
Open source is like blogging. You bear the cost (hidden or not) to publish you work for which you are very rarely paid (directly or indirectly). Once published, you lost control of potential benefit over your work,
I clearly remember the gpg développer calling for financial help after more Than 20years developing almost alone this crucial piece of software with almost 20k euros yearly income from standard job. I was working in paiement industry where this piece of software is the key element of the business protecting file transfert containing millions of euros. The company benefit was around 6billions euros a year and all this would not have been possible without a pci-dad certification based on gpg. Is it normal ? When I inform them that the author of their key piece of code so important to their business was struggling with just basic living, they didn’t move a finger. While myself as a self employed was. One of the first to send several hundred euros to this poor guy. Once the new hit major info website, then Google or Facebook transférés some money, in an public relation initiative.
So this case is typical of why OSS is a financial failure.
When I patched ansible, I worked, I spent time and done intellectual work for this project, adding value , easing and solving problem users faced and extended the possibility of the software. When it was bought by redhat, I didn’t get a penny for my work. My family didn’t benefited from my work, as a father I failed to feed them from my work. So who can rejoice of such situation where work isn’t rewarded ? (Beside getting a little Github medal for having a PR accepted)