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

["James A. Donald" <jamesd@echeque.com>]

> > You cannot have monopoly (in the sense of the power to
> > extract monopoly profits) except by state intervention as
> > has been proven by experience time and time again.

At 11:06 AM 10/8/98 -0500, Jim Choate wrote:
> Examine history with an unbiased eye.

I have provided specific examples from history.  You have
told us that various undefined markets in unspecified places
at unspecified times were monopolized by unspecified big
companies.

If these monopolies were rampaging all over the place, your
really should be able to name them, and show that specific
named monopoly companes were able to extract specific
identified monopoly profits.

> Incorrect. I have listed several examples (eg
> meat-processing in the 1920's) where the resultant
> involvement of the government came *AFTER* (not before as
> you claim) there was evidence of wide spread abuse of the
> consumer and the employee of those producters.

In what country?  Ruritania?

What was the name of the evil monopoly that dominated the
meat processing industry?

What were their excess profits?

And if they were making excess profits, what stopped any man
and his dog from setting up in business cutting up cattle?

(Unless, of course, it was the government that stopped any
man from slaughtering cattle.)

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         James A. Donald
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We have the right to defend ourselves and our property, because 
of the kind of animals that we are. True law derives from this 
right, not from the arbitrary power of the omnipotent state.


http://www.jim.com/jamesd/����� James A. Donald