commercialization

[ross[ AT ]zeno.mmwb.ucsf.EDU (Bill Ross)]

I think that codes developed under govt funding should be made
 available for distribution/maintenance costs. I haven't devoted
 much thought to the ideal legal permissions to grant. If subsequent
 commercialization adds value, the precommercial version should
 remain available on the same terms. This "nothing for anyone"
 policy is the closest I can imagine to fair for myriad unsung
 contributors as well as being the appropriate consequence of
 public funding (assigning credit is another side of the coin).
 Once a transition to commercial code has occurred, further
 deveopments transpire under known ground rules and participants
 can negotiate a slice of the pie. Hopefully funding agencies factor
 in the degree of commercialization in allocating funds.
 Bill Ross