"poisondart" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: [...] > I plan to release my programs for academic and pedagogical purposes. > The knowledge contained in these programs is the same knowledge that > people use to speak a language--did you buy a copy of the English > language when you decided to learn it? > > This is why I feel that it would not make sense for me to sell my > programs for profit.
I'm a little curious about your position. Though code encodes knowledge (hence the word, of course :-), the system of concepts embodied in your code is not the same thing as the code itself. Right? So, firstly, I don't follow your argument there: how does it follow from the fact that scientific and mathematical knowledge should not be treated by the law as - in some sense - property (a moot point of course, though I lean towards your view) that it doesn't 'make sense' (scare quotes because I'm not sure of your precise meaning) to sell your software for profit? Secondly, do you think it's a bad thing for anybody to sell software that makes use of the *concepts* in your code (provided that the use of those concepts is not restricted by financial or other legal means)? If so, why? John -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
