Which computer software or data library has the lowest bit per dollar
ratio?  That is, which bits are currently the most valuable?

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Clarification of Question by ndbabb-ga on 17 Feb 2005 12:32 PST

For your first question, I'd like retail cost.  Development cost isn't
exactly public-domain information and I'm really interested in how
much someone is trying to sell a small piece of code for.  For the
second question, no, as stated previously, I'm just looking for the
sale price.  For the third question, any software is fair game.  I
suspect that a professional music or graphics application would indeed
be the winner.

Really the curiousity at hand can be metaphorically stated like this: 
Where can you buy a box of cereal with the least flakes per dollar? 
It doesn't matter the box of cereal has been made in France by trained
monks and is sold to a market of only 2 companies whose business is,
inexplicably, eating cereal, it's just a matter of how much somebody's
selling for.

This is one of those questions that you should probably spell out a
little more clearly.  Specifically, when assessing value, how do you
take into account the folowing:

1) do you want retail cost or developement cost?  For example windows
XP might be valued at ~$250 (or whatever the retail cost is) or at the
millions to generate the origional source code - which cost should be
used?

2) Do you want to include total usage - for example programs like DOS
where there are tens if not hundreds of millions of copies sold? a
small program that is probably valued in the millions.

3) Do you want expensive software like the graphical rendering stuff
used to make movies like Toy Story- where each license is exceedingly
expensive?

Do you include code like the digital image processor in digital cameras?

Maybe G**gle's own search engine source code- as it generates a lot of
revenue in advertising....

There are just too many ways to look at this question.