And therein lies the Big Lie: that humankind will do nothing of any value unless money or some equivalent compensation is involved. It's a lie that has been told so many times that even the most reasonable and otherwise open minded among us never even question its validity.
While I sort of agree with this, I know that it isn't true.
I had this argument with my brother, a film maker (and his then fiance, also a film maker) at my cousins wedding at Xmas. I tried to explain to them the way FOSS ppl feel about copyright, about giving it away. But they need money to live. Even Shakespere had (I forget the word) ppl who paid him for his work. [ According to Shakespere in Love :) ... ] He wouldn't even start work unless he got some sort od downpayment.
Most, if not all - does AC have a dayjob ? - , FOSS developers have day jobs that pay the bills. If they had to do it full time, they would want to be compensated, becoz they have to eat. I've seen my brother live on the college diet for years (we don't have Raman noodles in Australia, but he ate the equivalent for years) and my parents gave him money, and I gave him money for him to pursue his art.
But there is no way I could convince him to "give his copyright" away
We need only one word to characterize that lie: nonsense. The whole FOSS movement is all the evidence needed to refute the Big Lie. In fact, people will do what they love, or even like at the moment, for no other reason than that they get some measure of self-satisfaction from just the act of doing it.>
And what is this whole new attitude today that everyone thinks their shit's stink is so unique and compelling that they aught to be paid for it? Personally, I don't think Ashely Simpson should be paid one dime. In fact, she probably should be fined every time she opens her mouth!
At what time in history, have ppl ever done anything without some sort of compensation (except slavery!). before there were dubloons, it was the barter system. And before that, I suppose the caveman just outright stole what he wanted (which is what the MPAA/RIAA calls all it's customers :)
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