[CS-FSLUG] Proprietary Software: Capitalism or Greed?

[doc]

> On 3/29/06, Alan Trick <alantrik at yahoo.ca> wrote:
>>> The assumption is that the product of a person's labor
>>> is only valueless and subject to uncompensated theft
>>> if it is software.
>> Actually, the problem lies in how (or if) you view intellectual
>> property. One of my favourite hackers, Richard Stallman said "When
>> someone uses the term 'intelectual property', typically he's either
>> confused himself, your trying to confuse you." Knowlege is not property
>> as we think of it. Knowlege ought to be free, even the founders of the
>> USPTO knew that (oh how things have changed).

Stallman is toying with the definition of "knowledge"
for the purpose of his argument, it is not entirely
intellectually honest.

Knowledge in common use may be used to refer to
the products of ones creative labors or the
identification of something in nature.

Where creative effort is necessary to formulate
a previously unknown construct then it is indeed
the choice of the formulator to inform the use
of it for at least some period of time -- with
rare exception.

It is otherwise guaranteed that creativity in
many areas will be choked-off as people seek
other ways to earn a living.

Such is a reality of life outside of academic
intellectual university bubbles.

-- 
Respectfully ... dmc

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