----- Original Message -----
That is whatwe need to do!!! Ensure that S/W remains interoperable -It shud not be that one S/W firm keeps its' stuff secret just to limit others from using it (the S/W) in a better manner.
I pretty much agree with the general trend of this thread. Freedom == Good Thing (TM), Paying for software == Not so good (and so on and so forth)
One person asked the question "How do we make money out of free software?". RMS's answer was that there is no established recipe or business model that will make you money leveraging free software. I'm sure people are making some money out there, but it obviously isn't as much as the rest of the evil empire.
I make a living installing GNU/Linux and *BSD based mail and firewall boxen. I provide a service, people pay me. Now if by some divine intervention, my skills as a programmer were to get a really big boost and I was able to create software that was truly wonderful and useful, sure I'd like to give it away. GPL it even. But wait... I need to pay the phone bill, the rent, the electricity, the <insert favourite intoxicant> etc.
So I sell it. I'm sure I'd need some sort of license to release it. Realistically, it simply MUST have some restrictions on what the user can do with it. If he's able to legally just give it to another friend, I don't make money. So no rent, no phone, no power, no intoxicants. I choose to make a living providing a service, other choose to do it by selling software. Simplistic, yes, and yes, I understand that there are larger issues involved (e-patents, not being able to modify and distribute etc. etc.)
Microsoft and Adobe aren't the only software companies on the planet. Sure, they restrict your freedoms with their licenses, charge you exorbitantly etc., but I'm sure there are non-free software companies out there that do some decent bits of coding and sell it, without excessive restrictions in their licenses. I have definitely come across software that I would not mind paying for. There must be companies walking the middle path somewhere.
Another point, and it isn't necessarily here in any kind of sequence, is that IMHO, RMS's speech was political and social, much more than technical, or about GNU/Linux. He's an experienced hacker with roots in academia, seems to be morally upstanding, lives frugally, doesn't really want nice, shiny things and probably spends very little on wardrobe. About as much hermit-like one can be living in a modern, first world capitalistic country. Not too many people would be willing to make those sacrifices and even if they are willing, might not be in a position to do so.
RMS's philosophy is definitely perfect for one person - RMS. It works for him. He makes money. He's probably happy with life. Good Thing(TM).
The same philosophy doesn't exactly work for me. I'm sure there are others it doesn't work for. And incase you're wondering, I swing the BSD way these days.
<disclaimer> Mostly opinionated spewing, personal stuff. Realistic points of view invited. </diclaimer>
--- Tushar Burman GNU/Linux/*BSD evangelist, friend to animals. tb@freeos.com icq: 112803958 y!: tusharburman msn: tusharburman aolim: tusharburman ---