Re: [address@hidden: Sustainable development]

[olafBuddenhagen]

Hi,

> Date: Thu, 6 Aug 2009 20:15:42 -0400
> From: steve paesani <spaesani@gmail.com>

> I would like to (suggest) form(ing) a co-operative that makes use of
> what I call a 'dev comp' software licence that has for intent to
> compensate the production/development costs of the software, that is,
> sustain to a reasonable/fair quality of life the developers of the
> software. This includes all involved eg: project managers, package
> administrators, developers, designers, graphic artists, translators,
> document authors, project server maintainers etc.. etc... in a manner
> that is consistant with the product delivered and not related to 'sub
> venues' such as advertising etc... The idea is in fact grandiose as I
> would like to see and be a part of a global crew of IT personel that
> would replace the current billion dollar corp IT crew.  The precept is
> that a well run coop can offer the same or better quality products at
> a better price and with right intent towards it's members/clients than
> the major sotware providers the coop is intended to replace.
> 
> I am willing to go as far as assessing the overall IT market,
> determining the greed elements that would be removed(hence providing
> the better cost) and developing a proposal that would be presented to
> potential supporters (customers/members) in order to secure funds for
> sustaining the cooperative (that is, the people who would develop the
> gnu hurd and it's applications, sustain/maintain it etc...)
> 
> Personally I believe it's time to move along these lines. Either with
> the Hurd, or with GnuLinux (or perhaps both..) as in my view people
> are to be receive from the community/society unto which they provide.
> In short my intention is for people to receive compensation for their
> development efforts.

It seems you are missing the point of free software. It isn't concerned
about greedy companies at all. It is concerned only about the rights of
computer users.

Free software licenses like the GNU GPL give these rights to users, no
matter how greedy the companies involved. If they can make a good profit
from creating software that doesn't subjugate the rights of users, all
the better!

One of the original Hurd developers works for such a company now.

-antrik-