RE: GPL & commercial software, the critical distinction (fwd)

[Jim Choate <ravage@EINSTEIN.ssz.com>]

Forwarded message:

> From: Matthew James Gering <mgering@ecosystems.net>
> Subject: RE: GPL & commercial software, the critical distinction (fwd)
> Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1998 18:24:02 -0700

> Jim Choate wrote:
> > The reality is that we don't live in a free-market, but 
> > rather a rather lightly regulated one.
> 
> Lightly? You jest.

No I don't. I can start a business for as little as $15 to register a DBA
and I don't need licenses or other sorts of regulatory permissions. If I
sell a product or service (some are exempt, check your local area) I'll need
a tax number to pay my state sales tax (though they do nothing to regulate
my business other than specify that I must pay x% of my sales to the
community). Getting that tax number is free. Outside of that (at least in
Texas) I'm ready to go.

Yep, that's a lot of regulation, no forms or permission slips from some
in loco parentis, no reports or annual fees.

> No, we certainly don't live in a free market, we have
> a mixed economy. We *should* have a free market,

No we shouldn't. The fact that monopolies can exist in this lightly
regulated economy is ample evidence that the non-regulated or free-market
theory is nothing more than another pie-in-the-sky utopian dream.
Unrealistic and unrealizable.

If you seriously think this is a heavily regulated market you should do more
research into such places as Nazi Germany, Russia, China, etc.

> are much more destructive and pervasive than any potential abuses by
> market leaders.

Monopolies are monopolies, claiming that they will be less abusive in a
regulated market than in a free-market just demonstrates a lack of
understanding of basic human instincts.

You are claiming that if we do away with the food regulations that McDonalds
will be *more* concerned about their meat being cooked thoroughly then you
obviously don't understand people who chase the bottem line to the exclusion
of all else.

> Also, the latter abuses are naturally corrected by
> competition,

If a market monopolizes there is *NO* competition. If the market is one that
takes a large investment in intellectual or capital materials then there
won't be any opportunity to even attempt to start a competitive venture.

> The answer for establishing "rules" which insure "fairness," such as

Fairness is about the consumer, not the manufacturer. This misunderstanding
(if not intentional misdirection) by free-market mavens is at least one
indication why it won't work.

> competition. Make it a contractually issue and not a criminal one,

Contractual with who?

> reputation for punishment instead of life and liberty, 

Businesses are neither alive nor do they enjoy liberty. Don't confuse people
with systems and objects.


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