Date: Thu, 08 Dec 1994 08:11:13 +1000
From: Steve.Keen-AT-unsw.EDU.AU
Subject: Re: Further thoughts on computers and socialism


Thanks to Louis for an excellent posting on the libertarian foundations
of early computing.

Incidentally, this may be an "urban myth", but I have been told that in
the ROMs for the original Apple there was the line
REM Resist the Draft!

There is a dilemma, however, about the production and maintenance of
complicated computer code. The Bill Gates of the world accurately
saw this as a way to accumulate fortunes; but for the small non-
capitalist to continue to maintain code, there has to be some
financial mechanism.

Shareware provides this in a way--which is basically a different
distribution system, with far less corporate content, than the
marketing methods of the Microsofts. And projects like the Linux
and Free GNU have other means of keeping the programmers fed.
Any thoughts?
Cheers,
Steve Keen


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