[linux-audio-user] Re: [linux-audio-dev] RME is no more

[tim hall]

Last Tuesday 14 December 2004 06:31, Lee Revell was like:
> Christ, what the fuck country do you live in?  

Non-US ;-)

> Don't you understand the 
> concept of people having bills to pay?  Or do you just assume the RME
> guys are independenly wealthy and just design sound cards for fun?

Absolute nonsense. We pay bills because we have a duty to do so, we pay taxes 
so that some services can be provided cooperatively. As I said earlier we 
needn't be naive about market forces, however, if we make that our number one 
priority over providing goods and services where they are needed, then we are 
lost. And you are involved with Linux because ...?

Nobody is saying that the RME guys should do it for free. Everyone deserves a 
living out of what they do best, unfortunately it comes easier to some than 
others. We do need to hone our financial arguments and business strategy to 
encourage manufacturers to support Free Software, we need to be polite and 
consider things from their perspective. We do not have to condone a culture 
of greed.

There is a very different feeling in Europe around the word 'socialism'. We 
have experienced Socialist governments, which bear little or no similarity to 
the Communism of the late USSR or China. Democratic Socialist governments 
have actually proved rather easier to live under than Democratic Capitalism. 
Socialism is desperately boring, doesn't provide all the answers by any means 
and I wouldn't normally defend it, Socialists can be just as ignorant about 
Patent issues (amongst other things) as Capitalists. It's the kind of 
mindless truisms offerred above that I object to. (actually, Marek ;). Stick 
to subjects you understand please.

with respect

tim hall
http://glastonburymusic.org.uk