DrJ: computer code is a work product

So are legal documents, laws and constitutions.

mark_b: I am quite out of my element here.

Based on his comments about code, DrJ would be out of his element at /.

As someone who was in business first, but in the early 90′s migrated to the Internet technology business, I too struggled with that notion for awhile (that code wants to be free). It is a foreign concept to those whose business models and minds address only analog businesses, or are primarily financially focused. It actually took me longer to grasp that concept than to understand some of the physics concepts underlying computers and networks, which i attribute to the concept of “no free lunch” drilled into me by my business school finance professor and early career in LBO/private equity. Eventually, I reconciled the two, but it was somewhat of a struggle (and would have taken much longer without the Internet!).