Free Software Foundation benefit dinner
This article from the New York Times addresses (however briefly) a free software-related theme that is still a little murky in my mind. I understand in principle that money can be made through free software by selling services to support it, writing customized versions of GPL-based software for a customer, etc., etc. But I still feel like I’m missing something.
The NY Times piece:
“Free software is software that anyone can tinker with, copy and redistribute at will. But theoretically, it can be sold for a lot of money. Robert Dewar, host of the benefit dinner at his Fifth Avenue apartment off Union Square, does just that with his company, Ada Core Technologies. He sells free software to aerospace companies that want to be able to modify it for their own use. The minimum charge, Mr. Dewar said, is $12,000.”
What exactly is Ada Core selling? The “modifications”? It’s unclear.