[Infopoint] Linux vs. FOSS

[Russ Phillips]

sparkes wrote:
> I've got to agree with Russ on this one (hey Russ how's the good lady 
> wife?) it's a perception of value thing.  If you give something to 
> someone they perceive it at valueless because they paid nothing for it.

Jen's very well, thanks. She doesn't frequent this list, but she'll
probably be on the infopoints if/when we get them organised in Carlisle.

> It's not the way free software works but it's the way the western 
> mindset works.

I wasn't thinking so much of making it seem valuable, as discouraging
people from taking CDs unless they actively wanted them. Another
possibility might be to burn them while they wait. It doesn't take long
with a modern fast burner, but even a short wait might stop people
taking them unless they actually thought they were going to use them.

> I seem to remember the aggrement with the fairs was that we didn't 
> *sell* anything but I seem to remember we could cover costs so while 
> attaching a token value to a cd isn't recovering costs it does go a long 
> way to increasing it's value in the eyes of the punter.

I'm pretty sure you're right - we can't sell, but we can cover costs
(I'm sure Jono will put us right if we're wrong). If we set the charge
at what a CD-R costs (about 25p?) then we shouldn't be in breach of the
agreement with the fairs organisers, but people won't pay anything for
something they won't use, so hopefully only those people that think they
will use it will actually take one.

Russ