Open Source 'stifles' innovation

We reckon that Malcolm Moore was having one of those days when he read Lucy's recent piece. It seems unlikely that Jim Allchin is on his Xmas card list:

I enjoyed your article on Jim Allchin's view on the 'American Way'. Perhaps you should take the theme further and try to imagine a MSWorld® where giving things away is illegal. Prostitution would be the only legal form of sex. Guys hanging around in the street with sandwich boards proclaiming 'The end of the world is nigh' would have to charge. "We're all going to die. That'll be £5.50 please mate !" Can you imagine the bill your children will run up over 18 years. Christmas would be a whole new ball game. Instead of keeping the receipts in case the wonderful 'I love MS' sweatshirt doesn't fit, you'll have to recharge your loved one. "Happy Christmas darling. Oh, by the way, my invoice is in with the Christmas card."

I don't see what all the fuss is about. Every week I bill my son for his keep. Naturally, the total is always exactly equal to his pocket money. He still owes me 20 quid from last month though.