"Fred" == Frederick Noronha fred@bytesforall.org writes:
>> From geert@desk.nl Sun Nov 10 15:12:16 2002 'Free' Software >> doesn't mean the same as zero-cost software. It means that, >> unlike proprietory software, it gives freedom to its users as >> outlined in the GNU General Public License.
Fred> That's a bit of a myth, Frederic. Free software potentially Fred> only gives freedom to those users who are capable of Fred> programming, who know how to write code and want to change Fred> the source code of a program. For non-technical users this Fred> freedom is a nice idea but meaningless. With the rise in Fred> users, coders are a diminishing group of people. Normal Fred> users may expect other 'freedoms' or values. I think it is Fred> time for the programmers community to take this in account Fred> and stop the Stallman talk of freedom, free lunch and free Fred> beer once and for all. These metaphors are not only Fred> confusing but also running out in a time when free software Fred> really becomes popular and transcends its original scene Fred> where every user by default was a programmer. It is time to Fred> take the non-technical user into account. That's the Fred> 'cultural turn' the free software movement is heading Fred> towards.
I don't agree that the freedom aspect of free software is less relevant today than it was, say, 20 years ago.
The freedom aspect of free software has many implications to the end user. These include:
- The ability to change the code. Yes, most users can't program `hello, world'. However they can always hire, blackmail, coerce or beg a coder to change the code for them. That coder need not have anything to with the original author of the software. That is a freedom.
- The freedom from dependence on one entity for the package. Whom do you turn to for security patches? Who provides updates to your package? Who adds the features that you need? The original developer? Do you trust the developer to provide all these in a timely fashion? Do you trust his/her ability to make secure software? Do you trust him to stay alive for the whole period you use the software? If MS dies tomorrow who will maintain, update and provide security fixes for Winduhs?
- The freedom to examine the code or have it examined by a III party for security weak spots and/or backdoors.
I'm sure there're many I've missed, but these should do for a start.
Regards,
-- Raju
Fred> Ciao, Geert
Fred> --------------END OF GEERT's Fred> NOTE-----------------------------------
Fred> Geert, There was another point that I was thinking of, in Fred> parallel. Free Software talks about four freedoms. Freedom Fred> 0, 1, 2 and 3. Perhaps it would make sense to include a Fred> fifth freedom:
Fred> Freedom of users to get access to computing power at a Fred> price that does not exclude them simply because they don't Fred> have the resources to pay.
Fred> Tell me if this is being unrealistic....
Fred> Of course we're not still misconstruing the word 'free' to Fred> mean zero-price here. But the fact that GPL'd software is Fred> copyable without unfair restrictions on sharing it with your Fred> neighbour, surely means that it mostly cannot/will not be Fred> priced at astronomical prices, as in the case of Fred> proprietorial or non-free software. This may not seem Fred> important from a programers point of view. But from a user's Fred> point of view, it is. More so in the price-sensitive Fred> countries which we live in.
Fred> As a user myself (who hasn't done a line of code in my Fred> life), this issue is something that has been gaining my Fred> attention subconsciously and otherwise. It is great that the Fred> idealism of the Free Software programmers eggs them on to Fred> write world-class software, often (or in many cases) without Fred> thinking of financial returns alone. That they share the Fred> fruit of their work with others is also great. So is the Fred> fact that this helps spread the process for creation and Fred> sharing of knowledge. But where does the user fit into this Fred> whole project?
Fred> On another issue, I think that the ideals of Free Software Fred> need to be extended to other fields too (including Fred> journalism, where the money has become good in recent years Fred> in countries like India but increasingly journalists are Fred> feeling choked by their inability to express themselves Fred> freely).
Fred> Maybe there is still confusion in understanding the issues Fred> involved. But this debate could help.
Fred> Copying this to others for a wider debate. Flames Fred> welcome. FN -- Frederick Noronha * Freelance Journalist *