Free software investments pay dividends even when they fail
This throwaway quote from Gnat Torkington caught my eye this morning:I've always viewed VC funding of open source as being like telco investment in infrastructure: even if the telco can't figure out how to make it work, the copper's still in the ground, the fibre's still laid to the home, the source is still available for people to continue building upon. What's insane is promoting VC funding of closed source companies: if they go south, their software is either sold at bargain basement prices to a competitor (net improvement to world: bugger all) or ends up locked in a trunk in an investment company unlikely to ever see life.Link
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Cory Doctorow
Upcoming appearances
* Feb 9, 2012, DeKalb, IL: Day of Doctorow, NIU
* Feb 10-12, 2012, Chicago, IL: Capricon 32
* Feb 13, 2012, Arlington, TX: UT Arlington College of Engineering Distinguished Speaker Series
* Feb 16, 2012, Victoria, BC: 13th Annual Privacy and Security Conference
Recent books:
* Context (essays)
* With a Little Help (short stories)
* For the Win (YA novel)
* Makers (adult novel)
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