Comments on: Global Shift in Value Exchange http://iconnectdots.com/2006/10/global_shift_in.html Guidance, Insight and Ideas in a Time of Accelerating Change Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:45:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lars Plougmann http://iconnectdots.com/2006/10/global_shift_in.html/comment-page-1#comment-944 Lars Plougmann Thu, 09 Nov 2006 15:27:38 +0000 http://iconnectdots.com.s11974.gridserver.com/2006/10/global-shift-in-value-exchange.html#comment-944 I suspect governments are looking into virtual economies because they look a bit like frequent flyer mile schemes - a huge economy with a virtual currency which is already regarded as taxable income in many countries. As for open source, I certainly hope that the "commons" approach will prevail and that benefit derived does not become equated with taxable income. That is, benefiting from free software (and hence others' work) should be regarded in line with the benefit you get from, say, admiring impressive architecture when moving around a city. I suspect governments are looking into virtual economies because they look a bit like frequent flyer mile schemes – a huge economy with a virtual currency which is already regarded as taxable income in many countries.

As for open source, I certainly hope that the “commons” approach will prevail and that benefit derived does not become equated with taxable income. That is, benefiting from free software (and hence others’ work) should be regarded in line with the benefit you get from, say, admiring impressive architecture when moving around a city.

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