[pp.int.general] Why Free Software misses the point

[Ole Husgaard]

Boris Turovskiy skrev:
> So if you say that you wouldn't mind using proprietary software if it
> fitted your needs you firmly place yourself in the "open source" camp
> which Mr.Stallman attacks;)

Yes. This does not mean that I do not value the four freedoms, but that
I can live without some of them in some specific situations.

It is a matter of priorities. I value the freedom of free speech. But
still I accept that my free speech is limited so I cannot cause a panic
in a theatre by shouting "fire!". The benefit of this limitation of my
right to free speech outweigh my loss of freedom.

>> For example: I do not use Skype because of security. Being closed-source
>> we simply do not know what it does behind the scene. It could be
>> scanning your system for torrent files and uploading the results to
>> anti-pirate groups, without the user knowing. I do not use MS-Windows
>> for the same reasons, but also because I do not like everything being
>> different than on all other operating systems, for no good reason.    
> I support that argument completely. But the fact is that you don't
> have to proclaim any kind of "sacred essential freedoms" to make such
> a argument; it is completely rational, and anybody can understand what
> is wrong with those problems (not anybody would care, sure, but as you
> said, it is enough to make an informed decision).

I do not consider the four freedoms sacred, and neither do I think FSF
does. But I do consider them essential to me. This is why I only rarely
use proprietary software.

When you get religious about free software, it can be quite funny, if
you do not take it too seriously: http://www.dina.kvl.dk/~abraham/religion/

Best Regards,

Ole Husgaard.