Re: Paying For Linux

On 2025-05-28, Farley Flud <ff@linux.rocks> wrote:

On Wed, 28 May 2025 17:16:51 +0100, MikeS wrote:
>

 
"Free" software was originally just that. Individuals or organisations
were proud of an application and were pleased to share it with others
without any payment. Some developers are still true to that concept. The
rest, whether they call it 'trial', 'limited', 'shareware' or
'donationware', are just using different forms of marketing.
 

>
Exactly.
>
FOSS programmers get "paid" with the recognition and esteem that they
receive from the FOSS community.  It is indeed a matter of pride to
for one to know that his software is considered worthy and valuable.
>
Any programmer who is motivated only by monetary concerns should
not bother to make his code open source.  He is essentially not
welcome.
>
The original sacrifices made by the great Dr. Richard M. Stallman
attest to all of the above.  Without Stallman there would be no
GNU and without GNU there would be no GNU/Linux and we would all
be indentured forever to commercial software companies.

Or they just want to make a program.  I've released some small programs,
for free.  GPL licence.  I don't expect recognition or esteem, I just
don't think they're worth selling and I don't mind contributing back to
the world of Free Software, after all, I've been a beneficiary of it.

Actually, if anything, a sense of mutual obligation is why I contribute,
and the hope that someone finds it useful, just as I've found programs
other people made and gave away useful.

But if someone primarily wants to make money, and still make their code
open source, I consider them welcome.  I don't care what their motive
is, if what they are doing is of benefit.

Actually, the most recent software I paid for, is a closed source
windows program.  A small calculator.  It is actually free, but the
author requests that if you find it useful, you donate some money.  I
had used it a while, found it useful, and gave a donation.  The idea
that he is 'harming me' by not making the source code available doesn't
wash, at least not in this specific case.