Re: [oc] Inquiry

[Niclas Hedhman <niclas@hedhman.org>]

On Wednesday 07 May 2003 10:53 pm, John Dalton wrote:
>  cost per unit = (development cost+distribution cost)/units
>
> is almost zero.

Well, that formula is in fact very incorrect, and shows that you don't run a 
software company.
cost per unit = (development cost + support cost + marketing/sales cost + 
company overhead  + continous refinement ) / units sold(! not given away)  + 
distribution cost

I'm sure I have forgotten a lot.
Many, if not most, software developers are operating in vertical markets where 
"units" are measured in 100's and sometimes even less than that, so to assert 
that cost/unit is almost zero is very inaccurate. You could say, first copy 
cost 400,000 but every copy after that is free - well, in a way, but who buys 
the first copy?


To connect back to the original question at stake;
Should OpenCores authors use GPL or not.
I said (and do live by it), GPL'd code is not well aligned with the interest 
of commercial entities. Ask the corporations.
Apache license is formulated to be much more commercially friendly, by not 
imposing the restrictions that many commercial entities find difficult to 
live with.


I also never indicated that the source code author can not use GPL. It is ones 
freedom, and my freedom to turn my back on excellent work.

I have only made a recommendation, that if OC wants to reach further into 
corporations, the community will probably need to drop GPL. My strongest 
suggestion is that there is multiple licenses available for all target 
audiences, incl. GPL and "paid for" licenses. 

Cheers
Niclas

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