Modify Colors
A lot of discussion goes into how to talk about FLOSS – free libre open-source software (for starters how about not using strange acronyms that sound like something you keep with your toothbrush). A recent Earthweb article discusses this topic, pointing out some of the mistakes that are made.
I don’t agree with every point, though. One, in particular, seemed to emphasize two different points of view:
“Within the community, FLOSS is not just a license. It is a view of the world, a collaborative method for running projects, a declaration of the proper relation between users and their hardware and even a vocation. It is an activist worldview, one that hopes for a genuine social transformation.”
“All these could be powerful elements in a successful FLOSS brand. Yet almost none is mentioned. So far as a FLOSS brand exists, it is simply one business strategy among many possible ones.”
While I recognize that developing code in the open with tons of volunteers from all around the world is incredibly cool, free software isn’t exclusively, or even mostly, about that for me. Free software means that I don’t have to worry about a small company going out of business or a big company trying to squeeze every dollar out of me (even in commercial free software, people can fork the code). It also often just means a really good application, since so many more people are able to contribute. Finally, it means that I can be a little more confident that my data is secure, since I know that others have probably examined the code for anything malicious.
Open-source software shouldn’t be marketed as a radical social revolution, just as good software.
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I must disagree. Okay, Open Source Software may be just good software, but Free Libre Software is NOT. It IS a different philosophical view than that of Microsoft and Apple. Remember, SOME proprietary software is very decent, and their vendors are not likely to go bankrupt during your life time. However, that does not mean anything to Free Libre software! Your right, your freedom, your liberty, your personality, and your money are under constant attacks! That’s why FSF was founded, and I appreciate that view.
i think open source MUST always be marketed ALSO as a radical social revolution. ’cause besides a choice for good software, a person who choses software libre is doing a social option. one thing shouldn’t be apart from another. even if it’s more evident/important for sbd the benefits of one specific characteristic of it, the other ones still exist, and it’s fundamental that an unniniciated person knows about that.