prole

FLOSS software

Lol

Seems pretty clear where/when the divergence was... Just a few inches to the left. Something like a small gust of wind definitely seems like Butterfly Effect material to me.

Right? Looks like he's got a six gun pointed at her back and he's forcing her to run at gunpoint lol

The unfortunate thing is that, in the long run, that strategy will probably be super effective. Unless Europe (with the only internet regulations that actually have teeth) does something harsh enough, they will probably pay a few small fines over this at most. Cost of doing business and probably baked in already.

Pretty sad when non-Americans seem to understand the severity of this threat better than people here.

For sure... Just one more reason to adopt co-determination laws like those in Germany.

Public or private, if the board of the company actually contained literal workers, it could make things so much better.

Totally. I wasn't trying to rag on Valve... More just a comment about capitalism in general and how shitty it is.

These products are experimental and usually sold at or near cost not to make money but to prove to the market there is a need and a demand.

Well, no... I think it's more akin to the concept of "loss-leaders". Get people in the door and while they're there, they'll buy a game or two. Which is where their real profits come from.

In the end, it's still just a business strategy intended to result in profits for Valve.

However, that being said, the fact that they don't have a fiduciary responsibility to shareholders to maximize profits and keep that stock price up at (literally) all costs, allows them to operate the way they do.

But don't get it twisted, they are a for-profit corporation, and their ultimate goal is making money. They're just not as shitty about it.

The bar is REALLY fucking low these days.

FIGHT!

They're also one of the few (possibly only) that has not gone public.

Just a coincidence, I'm sure.

"Just"

Holy fuck lol