Truth is an absolute defense

Posted Jun 22, 2004 0:30 UTC (Tue) by melauer (guest, #2438)
In reply to: Truth is an absolute defense by mmarsh
Parent article: Microsoft suing Brazilian official

> On the other hand, the plaintiff is likely to make the argument that their free
> licenses are more akin to free samples at the grocery store. You try a little for free,
> and if you like it you pay for more.

The problem with that argument is that, like free samples of drugs but unlike
free samples at the store, there is a lock-in quality to a free software giveaway.
Once you standardize on a particular set of software for your organization, it is
extra expensive to change to a different software base. You have to retrain
staff, deal with files in old proprietary formats, and all that.

When you get a free sample at the store, it doesn't cost you anything to say "No
I don't want to buy anything else, thank you". With drugs and software, once
you're locked in, there's an extra cost (pain and suffering -- personal in one
case, financial in the other :) for quitting.