Subj : Re: GNU Public Licences Revisited (again) To : comp.programming From : Antoon Pardon Date : Tue Sep 27 2005 07:54 am Op 2005-09-26, William schreef : > "Antoon Pardon" wrote in message > news:slrndjfi1q.2ko.apardon@rcpc42.vub.ac.be... >> Op 2005-09-23, William schreef : >> > >> > History - there for anyone to read and interpret. >> >> You show no evidence. You only assert there is evidence. >> So I find your statement that I prefer my belief system >> over the evidence at least premature. > > Since we both have equal access to the available evidence, > but only one of us has asserted that they've studied it, > I kind of think you do prefer your belief system. You think I should be convinced just because you assert you have studied the evidence? Are you convinced each time someone asserts he has studied the evidence? > By your > own assertion, anything I feed you will be biased, but you > don't seem inclined to do any looking on your own. You didn't give me much to go on, for looking things up. > You made the original assertion, it's been challenged, > your turn. Were I in your position, I'd have hopped over > to Google and checked out a few high profile inventors > and/or inventions and come up with a little support. Well what about Adolphe Sax? > Here're some starters: > John Harrison (chronometer) > George Westinghouse (hundreds, but most of his early > work was railroad-related) > Joseph Jacquard (loom) > Samuel Colt (revolver) > Elias Howe (sewing machine) > > I would argue that most of these people were responding > to market opportunities with profits in mind. (Harrison > was responding to a prize offer, but a large market for > timepieces was obvious as well.) > > But just refuting these won't support your argument very > well, you need to find evidence of a trend; something > suggesting a majority were not profit motivated to begin > their work. No I don't need such a trend. I may have overstated my case in the course of this discussion. I certainly didn't mean to assert money can't be a motivator. My origininal remark was a protest against the notion that without money, motivation for inventing was as good as impossible. -- Antoon Pardon .