Re: [Fsfe-uk] Free Software Magazine got cheaper

[Jason Clifford]

On Sat, 12 Mar 2005, Lee Braiden wrote:

> > So are *you* offering to finance the costs of producing and distriubuting
> > the magazine to make this possible?
> 
> No, but as a member of the free software community, I'd offer to write an 
> article once in a while, and if maybe to mirror a public distribution site or 
> at least to run a bittorrent seed.  The only time you need corporate-style 
> finances and resources is when you choose to be a top-down distribution and 
> enforcement organisation.  To me, that's not what free software is about.

The magazine is not software. It's a different form of product.

In order to happen there are costs that have to be paid - 
writing, production and distribution cost real money. Even if you base the 
magazine on gratis article submissions you have to edit, typeset and 
layout the magazine. Then you have to pay for the print run and shipping 
costs for the magazine or hosting and bandwidth for the online version.

The fact of the matter is that there are significant costs involved and 
they have to be paid by someone. Charging a reasonable cover price deals 
with this. As I indicated before the alternative is for someone to 
guarantee funding and I don't see that happening.

Jason Clifford
-- 
UKFSN.ORG               Finance Free Software while you surf the 'net
http://www.ukfsn.org/      ADSL Broadband from just £21.50 / month