Francis Earl wrote:
> Thing is, why should your freedoms be any more important than the original
> authors who has chosen not to open source his code? He has that right, and if
> his product is superior to alternatives, why wouldn't you use it?
Did King George have the freedom to rule pre-revolutionary America the
way he did? Sure, but does that make it decent or right? We have the
nation we have today (sic) because of those ideals and beliefs that made
Americans Americans, and not Brits. The beliefs that everyone should be
equal and that no one should have absolute control over anyone else. And
that is what Free Software is about. That's what it was created to do
nigh on 26 years ago, regardless of what the OSI and the Open Source
movement has done to it.
I know I'm in the minority here, using GNU/Linux under the banner of
Free Software (my freedom is important) and not Open Source (powerful
applications that I can develop on using the open source method are
important), but my freedoms are damn important.
> When open source and closed source options are equal, I will choose the open
> software every time, but if that open source alternative is simply weaker, who
> is really seeing the injustice?
Injustice is a funny word. Is it an injustice that you cannot further
improve on that application should you want to? Is it an injustice to be
unsure of whether your data is safe from the likes of third parties and
unscrupulous coders?
Weaker is a funny word, too. Do you gauge strength on features? On the
stability of software? Do you gauge it on the ability of the authors to
support the software? Do you gauge it on the future maintainability of
systems running that software? All of these things can vary wildly in
proprietary software. Very rarely is there vapourware/abandonware in
Free software, but you see that all too often in proprietary ecosystems.
And the majority of the time all you are left with is an ancient binary
and a headache as you search for another alternative.
Ryan
---------------------------------------------------
PLUG-discuss mailing list -
PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings:
http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
(text/plain)