Re:Yes. It is a race to zero. (Score 1)

Open source is just on the fast track to zero. Proprietary s/w is in the same race. As one product becomes popular, others jump into the fray and then the natural curves of economics kick in, lower the prices.

Open source allows companies to focus less on s/w development (though good OSS-based companies always remain firmly involved), focus more on fostering a thriving community, and spend the majority of their efforts on the area that the proprietary companies eventually have to focus on (paid services, bundled products, etc...). The OSS companies get there first, are typically more nimble because they aren't stuck wasting resources on keeping licensing revenues high. They have already accepted that such a model is a constantly dwindling one.