[8332] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: Been reading a book (dangerous thing to do)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Brad Cox @ GMU/PSOL)
Sun Nov 14 14:54:44 1993
Date: Sun, 14 Nov 1993 14:56:57 -0500
To: com-priv@psi.com
From: bcox@gmu.edu (Brad Cox @ GMU/PSOL)
"Russell Nelson" <nelson@crynwr.com> wrote
>And putting the two new (to me anyway) bits of information together
>made me realize that it *might* be economically more efficient (that
>is, create more wealth) if all software was freely copyable, and some
>group mechanism was found to create boring software (user groups,
>trademark licensing fees, operating system costs, or for the
>creatively challeneged, taxes).
Why not use the same group mechanism that has incentivized the production
of boring (i.e. tangible) goods like twinkies, automobiles, computers,
fiber optics links and router hardware; namely *markets*.
Recent events (Russia) show that market-based prices are remarkably good
(compared to the centrally planned alternatives they used) at enabling
distributed decision-making by individuals and institutions, each motivated
by self-interest but "guided as if by an invisible hand" to apportion
scarce resources efficiently.
Why not retain the same mechanism instead of the centrally planned
alternatives you suggested, particularly taxes. But why not implement a
basis for commerce that is technically easier to enforce than scarcity,
given that we're talking about intangible goods like electronic documents,
software, clipart, reusable software components and so forth; goods that
can be copied and transported in nanoseconds?
Why not make copying free, as you suggest, but base revenue collection on
metered invocation, primarily because its technically easier than the
alternative; enforcing scarcity by charging as copies are acquired?
I've several articles detailing this approach than I'll gladly provide on
request (email only, please). Ask for "What if there is a silver bullet and
the competition gets it first" or "Market Processes as a New Foundation for
Software Engineering".
--
Brad Cox; bcox@gmu.edu; 703 968 8229 Voice 703 968 8798 Fax
George Mason Program on Social and Organizational Learning
