wardJun 24, 2024
I keep getting comments that Linux is more of a capitalistic organization than a corporation like MS because anyone is free to create their own version, etc... The comment is usually one that's supposed to make capitalism sound like a free market; maybe libertarians?

What did I miss? Did someone make a video essay about this or something. I am getting this comment all the time and it's nonsense.
Show threadCyberspiceJun 24, 2024
@ward That’s the original definition of capitalism in economics. In economics the price is set by the market because everyone can create their own version and compete. I’ve always argued that nations like the US aren’t capitalist, they are something else.
Show threadwardJun 24, 2024
@cyberspice not really... "In a capitalist economy, capital assets—such as factories, mines, and railroads—can be privately owned and controlled, labor is purchased for money wages, capital gains accrue to private owners, and prices allocate capital and labor between competing uses"

The key thing for me is labor... labor is paid in wages. That is what makes capitalism different imo. You are not keeping the fruit of your labor, you are giving it to the one who owns the means of production... the ones who own all the capital. It's a system where the minority can control a vast majority of the people. To discuss linux in these terms is basically nonsensical imo.

Markets existed far before capitalism as well. It doesn't make sense to discuss Linux in terms of monetary systems imo.
Show threadCyberspice
@ward “ Markets existed far before capitalism as well. It doesn't make sense to discuss Linux in terms of monetary systems imo.” Those markets were still capitalist. If you have two suppliers of milk in your village. You have to select one of them based on some kind of factors, cheapness, quality. whatwver. The dairy farmers still make a profit based on how their fare in the market. And how donthe milk maids live?
Jun 24, 2024 at 8:02pmWeb
Show threadwardJun 25, 2024
@cyberspice the goal of each dairy farmer was to make money, raise capital, etc. When one forks a Linux distro, the motivations are not always the same. I also do not think that there is a direct correlation when it comes to competition, because some open source projects are not designed to compete in the same way. They do not care if they take market share away from another project. They are just forking to create something they want.. again, it's nonsensical to my brain to discuss linux in this way. They aren't competing for customers and they aren't selling things. Linux is a more organic community project that doesn't fit well into these terms.