Where Are All the Open Source Billionaires?

[sethg at ropine.com (Seth Gordon)]

David Kramer wrote:
> http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000842.html
> 
> If Open Source software is free, then why bother spending money on
> Microsoft Partner stuff? I already know what Microsoft's detractors will
> say: "There's no reason whatsoever. $40 billion per year is totally wasted."
> 
> "This, however is not a very satisfying answer, simply because it
> doesn't quite ring true. Otherwise there'd be a lot more famous Open
> Source billionaires out there, being written up in Forbes Magazine or
> wherever. And Bill Gates would've been ousted years ago. "
> 

Giles Bowkett said it better than I could:

http://gilesbowkett.blogspot.com/2007/04/economics-101-for-web-20.html

Jeff's post is a good post, and he provides a much calmer and nicer
answer than I'm about to, but I don't have his vast reserves of
patience. That is the _stupidest question_ in the *world*. Where are all
the _air_ billionaires? Where are all the _gravity_ billionaires? What
about the _light_ billionaires? Huh? Huh? Where are they? Tell me! If
light is so damn useful, why hasn't anyone been able to _license the
sun?_ *It must not be worth anything!*

Wow. Good point there, Einstein.

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