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Comments on: If there is no free lunch why should we have free software?? http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2007/08/28/if-there-is-no-free-lunch-why-should-we-have-free-software/ The Visible Hand in Economics Thu, 14 Jun 2018 04:51:00 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: calfre1995 http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2007/08/28/if-there-is-no-free-lunch-why-should-we-have-free-software/#comment-43818 Thu, 14 Jun 2018 04:51:00 +0000 http://tvhe.wordpress.com/2007/08/28/if-there-is-no-free-lunch-why-should-we-have-free-software/#comment-43818 i agree ..people easily understand about your posting, and I am learning a lot of things from your posting,Keep it up.sap hr abap classes

]]> By: perfect match http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2007/08/28/if-there-is-no-free-lunch-why-should-we-have-free-software/#comment-3730 Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:03:59 +0000 http://tvhe.wordpress.com/2007/08/28/if-there-is-no-free-lunch-why-should-we-have-free-software/#comment-3730 While she may insist…

]]> By: DevTopics http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2007/08/28/if-there-is-no-free-lunch-why-should-we-have-free-software/#comment-213 Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:33:32 +0000 http://tvhe.wordpress.com/2007/08/28/if-there-is-no-free-lunch-why-should-we-have-free-software/#comment-213 A debate is raging on the ‘net these days as to whether all software, music and digital content should be free.

http://www.devtopics.com/should-all-software-be-free/

]]> By: Matt Nolan http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2007/08/28/if-there-is-no-free-lunch-why-should-we-have-free-software/#comment-212 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 20:26:18 +0000 http://tvhe.wordpress.com/2007/08/28/if-there-is-no-free-lunch-why-should-we-have-free-software/#comment-212 Hahaha, good old Al Gore, he knows how to talk some crack.

]]> By: Kimble http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2007/08/28/if-there-is-no-free-lunch-why-should-we-have-free-software/#comment-211 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 06:41:29 +0000 http://tvhe.wordpress.com/2007/08/28/if-there-is-no-free-lunch-why-should-we-have-free-software/#comment-211 The entire internet revolution wouldn’t have occured without… AL GORE.

]]> By: Jon Dean http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2007/08/28/if-there-is-no-free-lunch-why-should-we-have-free-software/#comment-210 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 01:50:50 +0000 http://tvhe.wordpress.com/2007/08/28/if-there-is-no-free-lunch-why-should-we-have-free-software/#comment-210 I think you’ll find the open source developers are more often than not financially compensated – either by their employer or as implementation consultants (service). Plus a programmer’s reputation and experience is also tied to future earning potential.

They also gain through positive externalities that the open source community as a whole produces. The entire internet revolution wouldn’t have occured without a multitude of open source projects that are intertwined, for example, Linux, OpenBSD (and OpenSSH), iptables, sendmail were all used by early ISPs that spurned larger and larger ISPs that in turn spurned the development of very large internet hardware manufacturers.

]]> By: Matt Nolan http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2007/08/28/if-there-is-no-free-lunch-why-should-we-have-free-software/#comment-209 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 00:47:42 +0000 http://tvhe.wordpress.com/2007/08/28/if-there-is-no-free-lunch-why-should-we-have-free-software/#comment-209 I agree that higher prices lead to more innovation for hardware, which will in turn increase demand for more technical hardware. However, I was pointing out that this was not the only relationship between software and hardware.

You said “It never will be free for the reasons you point out, but also because the hardware will never be free.”

However, hypothetically, if hardware was free demand for software would be greater, leading to higher prices. I don’t think software development would stop if no new hardware came out, it would just be more costly to make a better product, reinforcing the fact that a price must exist for the product.

The fundamental difference in what we believe depends on how we view the evolution of software. I think that improving software has a long-run increasing marginal cost.

I do completely agree that hardware innovation makes software development more profitable, but that comes from the fact they are complementary goods, and improving the quality of one good increases the value of the other good. However, if hardware was hypothetically free I don’t think it would lead to software becoming free.

]]> By: Kimble http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2007/08/28/if-there-is-no-free-lunch-why-should-we-have-free-software/#comment-208 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 00:31:19 +0000 http://tvhe.wordpress.com/2007/08/28/if-there-is-no-free-lunch-why-should-we-have-free-software/#comment-208 Matt if the hardware was free, there would be little innovation. If there is little innovation, the software will quickly hit its physical boundary. The marginal improvements of the software will be close enough to zero that no one would want to pay for it.

With technology “stuck” at a constant level, the programming for that level would become easier and easier. “New” software will abound as small innovations are made, existing software is replicated, but without much obselesence of older software. Eventually free-ware would catch up to pay-ware in its sophistication.

Without very strict IP protection people will eventually find the software sophistication level they are happy with and stop purchasing “new” software.

In the short to medium run the relationship may be as you describe, with free hardware leading to a large increase in demand for software, and its price, but not in the long run.

]]> By: William Taylor http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2007/08/28/if-there-is-no-free-lunch-why-should-we-have-free-software/#comment-207 Tue, 28 Aug 2007 23:26:22 +0000 http://tvhe.wordpress.com/2007/08/28/if-there-is-no-free-lunch-why-should-we-have-free-software/#comment-207 Matlab is far from free and I did look at using it. I love mathematica because it is so good for symbolic stuff. My thesis supervisor used to use both matlab and mathematica but right before I started he convinced himself that anything he can do in matlab he can do in mathematica so I use mathematica for all my numerical stuff and haven’t had any issues with it. I also really like setting up all my numerical stuff in a good symbolic environment.

]]> By: Falafulu Fisi http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2007/08/28/if-there-is-no-free-lunch-why-should-we-have-free-software/#comment-206 Tue, 28 Aug 2007 10:13:25 +0000 http://tvhe.wordpress.com/2007/08/28/if-there-is-no-free-lunch-why-should-we-have-free-software/#comment-206 As an example I use a mathematical program called Mathematica for a lot of my work and haven’t been able to find anything anywhere near as good that is “free”

William, the best out there for numerical modeling is Matlab, particularly in application domain such as economics. Nothing can beat Matlab. It has a huge built-in library (no need to re-invent anything), plus a huge worldwide users . I used Mathematica when I was at varsity purely for symbolic calculations, ie, calculations that you require to solve an equation and the solution is a closed-form solution (another equation). I use Matlab mostly for proto-typing and testing my numerical model, then I code it in Java for deployment.

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