# Why are software free? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 28, 2017, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-software-free/802927 "2017-11-28T03:54:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SigMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@SigMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SigMan)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-software-free/802927/22 "2017-11-28T22:35:03Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Anyway, an example of this is Microsoft opening up their implementations of C# and the .Net world in general, which is kind of an odd move because Microsoft once called Open Source “cancer” Wasn’t that the same Bill who said, “We’ll never need more than 640K of memory?” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-software-free/802927/23 "2017-11-28T22:50:12Z")
> [@SigMan](#): > > Wasn’t that the same Bill who said, “We’ll never need more than 640K of memory?” :rolleyes: [No, it was the guy who threw the chair: Steve Ballmer.](https://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/06/02/ballmer_linux_is_a_cancer/) [Microsoft is a member of the Linux Foundation now](https://www.theverge.com/2016/11/16/13651940/microsoft-linux-foundation-membership), contributing to Linux and [is the top organization with the most Open Source contributors on GitHub](https://www.theverge.com/2016/9/15/12926288/microsoft-really-does-love-linux) as of late last year. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-software-free/802927/24 "2017-11-28T22:57:03Z")
More on the chair-throwing thing [because you’re gonna ask anyway](https://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/08/24/top_10_steve_ballmer_quotes_from_microsoft_history/): > [@](#): > > According to court documents, Ballmer flew off the handle in 2005 when Microsoft staffer Mark Lucovsky told him of his plans to move to Google. Lucovsky claims in a sworn statement that Ballmer also picked up a chair and threw it across the room in a fit of rage during the meeting. During the chair-chucking, Ballmer was quoted as saying: > [@](#): > > Fucking Eric Schmidt is a fucking pussy. I’m going to fucking bury that guy, I have done it before, and I will do it again. I’m going to fucking kill Google. Eric Schmidt was CEO of Google at the time. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-software-free/802927/25 "2017-11-28T23:25:22Z")
You often get what you pay for with free software. Sometimes you overpay too. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-software-free/802927/26 "2017-11-28T23:53:17Z")
Note that there is also nothing preventing someone from selling free-software products for cash money, or from including Linux with your IBM Hardware Management Console or HD media streamer. Free use includes commercial or government use, which is why big companies feel free to pour resources into it. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-software-free/802927/27 "2017-11-28T23:54:16Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > You often get what you pay for with free software. Sometimes you overpay too. Yup. Linux is way buggier than Windows. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-software-free/802927.md?page=1)