GPL allows anyone to sell what is produced. GPL also allows anyone to freely distribute what is produced. GPL mandates that source code be made available when distributed.
The question being raised primarily seems to be:
How can a programmer make money from created SW with the GPL if anyone can freely distribute it... even sell it as long as the also make the source available?
The question lies in where the "value" is.
If the produced SW is of value (monetary), then GPL certainly makes little sense from the profit angle. I think many at RH made this mistake with their business model with RHL.
However, if the only value is the programmer... that is, the produced SW, while valuable (non monetary), it is much more valuable if you consider the programmer.
For example, the fact that GNU/Linux is GPL doesn't mean that I plan to try maintain my own distribution. There's just way, way too much effort involved. And I certainly could not become the sole maintainer of every application included in GNU/Linux. So just because I have the source, does not mean I get the GPL programmer value.... unless I consider their value separately from the SW itself. And I may have to consider value in terms other than just money.
It's a different way of looking at things. And certainly it begs for a community based payment mechanism for all of the talented programmers who contribute freely to GNU/Linux (and other GPL software). Feel free to contribute to FSF and other organizations... shoot, buy something from RH... something from SUSE... even that has impact on the development of free SW. However, sending money the cheapbytes for a copy of RH, in general, does't help put food on the table of ANY free software programmer. Just makes money for cheapbytes (basically a handout to cheapbytes really).
RMS speaks of the need for localized customizations (non distributed) work on GPL software. The idea is that programmers should get paid for making local customizations. Doesn't necessarily address the SW shop though... where the SW is the source of revenue. But of course, community SW isn't produced by a company.. but by a community.
Also, RMS recognizes there is a limited class of SW that does not have broad market appeal... he's satisified that those SW projects do not have to be free (of course, most companies prefer large markets).
I know this probably doesn't clear things up any.. but might make folks go deeper (it's not just about money).
Other places of value come with support. Even if you are NOT the prime creator of the SW (community created), you can add the glue and support infrastructure that gives your "free" version value... and thus something you can charge for. This is the prime revenue source for commerical GNU/Linux distributors. SUSE arguably kept an Intellectual Property ace up their sleeve by gluing their dist together with a non-GPL piece of administration SW called YaST. Unlike RH, this kept the cheapbytes, etc. from copying and reselling (RH sold RHL for $190 and cheapbytes sold the same for $10!!). Thus Novell/SUSE has the option of continuing to do business as usual rather than having to do a Fedora thing (a community support model). The RH Board basically saw a big RED item on the books.. their consumer dist... they eliminated it. SUSE doesn't necessarily have to follow suit.. though it has become much cloudier now that they are Novell (a publically traded company like RH... money aside, there's power being private).
Of course, you'll hear many complaints against the SUSE model... but I think most of those people are the ones buying from cheapbytes (sigh). To me, those people really do not see value (reward) correctly at all. They are the free loaders of society and are really no different from the destitute addicted gambler on the Vegas strip, or the alcoholic looking for help in downtown Atlanta.
Best thing I can do is to support free software by PAYING for it.... but isn't it nice to know that I don't HAVE to pay for it? Just don't get addicted to the idea of "free" software.... reward the developers (voluntary shareware)!!
Random thoughts.... Chris
