<VV> Info Should Be Free? (No real Corvair content)

Mark J. Murphy m.j.murphy at comcast.net
Thu Aug 11 08:35:19 EDT 2005


Why does everyone forget the second half of that line?.  There is often a
big misconception (huge deal in the "free software" movement) on that whole
thing.  Comes from the multiple meanings of "free".  Too many people seem to
take it as "without cost", based on the context of one usage which was (to
paraphrase) "Information wants to be free, because it is now so easy to
copy, and information wants to be expensive because nothing is so valuable
as the right information at the right time".  Most folks today with their
proverbial hand out forget the latter part.  Generally accepted meaning of
"free", from those actually providing the "free" information, is "without
encumbrance or restriction", as in "free speech" and the ability to access
and apply generally useful information to your specific use.  I believe in
this sense the books and manuals offered for sale by CORSA (and others)
comply with the original intent of the often convoluted battle cry
"information wants to be free" in that nothing is really restricted,
censored or kept as personal little secrets.  The information is
unrestricted (free) but there was a cost in providing it, and it should be
compensated.  After all, "information wants to be expensive".  :)  Loses
it's appeal when you use the other half, doesn't it.  Just one man's
opinion. ;)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
      ,-----___\----,    Mark Murphy
      \--(o)----(o)--'  Derry, NH, USA
    http://m.j.murphy.home.comcast.net/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "N. Joseph Potts" <pottsf at msn.com>
To: "Corvair List" <virtualvairs at skiblack.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 10, 2005 2:53 PM
Subject: <VV> Info Should Be Free?


> There's been much paraphrasing of the original aphorism of Stewart Brand,
> Information Wants to Be Free, and whatever Brand had in mind, I don't
think
> all information must be gratis (to be clear about the "free" that is meant
> on this forum). I think PEOPLE should be free to do what they want (and
can)
> with the information they possess. If they want to sell it, and can find
> buyers for it, well and good - this is boon to everyone, including them.



More information about the VirtualVairs mailing list