Recently, a genuinely concerned coworker expressed concern that “not paying for software [may] ultimately kill the industry” because it encourages people expect something for nothing.
For those who would like this and other common concerns about open software answered, I recommend reading Open Source-onomics. Here’s a list of concerns it addresses:
- “Open Source is not economically viable”
- “Not paying for software will ultimately kill the industry”
- “Why will programmers continue to contribute code if they can’t make money from it?”
- “Even Open Source development involves effort, so there has to be payment for that effort”
- “Are Open Source programmers writing themselves out of their jobs?”
- “But free isn’t natural. There’s no such thing as a free lunch.”
- “Is software a commodity?”
- “Who will invest in software development if it doesn’t yield a return?”
- “Open Source may have a niche, but proprietary commercial products will continue to rule”
- “Customers will never trust something that is free”
- “Open Source may release value, but it doesn’t create value”
For those who would like even more detailed reading, I recommend David Wheeler’s “Why Open Source Software? Look at the numbers!“