It's not a new debate. Traditional, "safe", commercial software or "free"-as-in-speech open source programs. On the one hand you have a tried and tested model. You have full-time programmers with time to bugfix. Most importantly, it seems, you have someone to sue when the lights go out and your hamster dies of dehydration. On the other hand you have free software, extra sets of eyes checking the code and the ability to extend the software, shaping it to fit your needs.
For some it is a basic philosophical question of the right to make money from original thought. Can you copyright an idea? Is software really a product? For others it is a business decision, made by weighing up the risks and costs against the potential benefits. What is it to you? Do you care? Should we? Should all software be free? Does that even make sense? Have your say, post below.
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