The entire premise of this question makes too many assumptions about how
economics works. Economics is not the specific model of pay-for-access that
you have come to know. There are tons of other economic models.
Think of it this way: there is a certain amount of essential resources in the
world used to make a certain amount of food and necessesities. The question
is simply how we distribute and support the system for everyone having access
to these things. Who does what work to support the system? There's lots of
debates and conundrums, but individuals paying per-copy for software is an
awful system with tons of problems, and the the implication that it is the
only feasible answer is simply wrong.
Incidentally, I am developing an entirely new platform for how to fund
software and other Free projects based on other economic mechanisms. In other
words: I HAVE AN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION: how do we fund Free Software? It's
a work in progress, not yet public. The site is snowdrift.coop. You can send
us a message there if you want to learn more and maybe get involved.
Cheers
