[P1] OT: Software Licensing

[Jack Rodgers]

On Wednesday, July 9, 2003, at 05:48  PM, david wrote:

> Your analogies don't cut it. I'm not asking to consume something twice 
> and only pay once. I own two Macs which can run the same software, 
> just as I own two 2002 Saturns. If I wanted, I could buy 4 Michelins 
> and move them from one Saturn to the other. My Michelin 'license' 
> doesn't restrict me to just one car.

But reality restricts you to using only one car at a time with the 
tires and eventually you'll wear out the tires and have to buy another 
and it would be impossible with today's technology to duplicate the 
tires and give away copies...

> Sure, it would be silly to trade the tires from one car to the other, 
> but I'm not restricted by Michelin from doing so. Similarly, when I 
> went to Sears for a new set of wrenches, the salesman didn't ask me 
> which car I intended using them on. I can use them how I choose.

Sounds like a good use for my idea of typing the license to 
fingerprints or dna, doesn't it. Again, you can't duplicate the wrench 
easily and give it away to 10,000 people around the world, so your 
analogy while interesting has a few weaknesses, as do most analogies...

The difference between software and hardware is that we can replicate 
and distribute software but we can't do this with hardware until those 
Star Trek replicators get invented. Imagine what the world will be like 
when folks can just replicate their meals, a new car, a new tank or 
stealth bomber, or 500 new Powerbooks or other interesting items.

Open Software is an answer to the commercial licensing fees. Is any of 
it very good?

---
Obviously the obvious isn't always so obvious. Jack Rodgers


JackRodgers at earthlink.net
http://www.JackRodgers.com
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