Throughout the history of software there have been software patents, as well as a vibrant open source community attempting to make software free, available, and easy to use for all. If the open source community succeeds the software industry will mostly die off, except for a few key sections that are necessary to the computer infastructure of the world. This may occur, and it will only reinforce the fact that computers are a means, and not an end. Computers are tools which will become more and more availabe until eventually they are used in almost every facet of life, which has almost occured.
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