Freedomware free as in $$

This is a kind of part two so to speak of an earlier Blog entitled Freedomware. In the previous blog I talked about some of the reasons why FOSS development seems to just work. This time around I want to talk about an interesting thought I had in regards to answering the common question of... "why is it free?" I used to reply it is free as in freedom... to which they respond with a pause a blank stare before they either say "really" or change the subject. I have not even touched on the reaction I get when I tell them that I do not need to worry about viruses and spy ware.

Why is freedomware free as in $$?

One morning I woke up pondering and searching for an answer to a common question I get while presenting freedomware. If it is such a high quality product why is it free? All of the answers I have given to people just seem to get too technical. I have explained how the people who develop the software do so because they need something better that what is available. Then they share it openly..... it is about that time that I see a fog roll in. I am almost positive they get flash backs to when parents speak in a Charlie Brown cartoon. For those not in the know it sounds something akin to Whaaa Wha wha wha wha wha whaaaa. Can you relate?

I pondered this question for a few days which one, told me I would be blogging about it and two, told me that I might just be onto something. Here is what I came up with.

When I think of freedomware I think of high quality hand crafted workmanship. I think of reliability and stability that very few have had the pleasure of experiencing. I think of computing speeds that most of the world free or otherwise can only dream of. If you thought that this sounds like a car commercial you are correct. But the ultimate question is what kind of car do you see in your mind after reading what I wrote. Not any mass produced cars I bet.

I began to realize something very powerful yet simple. Freedomware is free because it is priceless. It is much like the Hope diamond. Anyone can access it and bask in it's one of a kind beauty at the Smithsonian. Harry Winston Inc. donated the diamond November 10, 1958. Who can place a price on such an amazing thing?

It is much the same with freedomware. Developers all over the world spend countless hours working to improve the code that they are presenting freely to the world. One of the amazing results is we get to experience quality on our computers that money just can't buy. How can you put a price on something so amazing and phenomenal? So the next time I am asked why freedomware costs nothing I am going to reply "Because it is priceless!"