We seem to be scaring the non-free world of software

[Jeffrey Watts]

While I appreciate the similarities, I think it's a bit much to tie the Free
Software Movement to Democratic movements.  While the _ideals_ on paper can
be similar, the success or failure of "Free and Open systems" lie more with
practical issues.

For example:
* America, while certainly not acting like it much the last eight years, is
probably the country with the longest tradition of civil rights and
citizen-government.  However, it is also the land of EULAs and Microsoft.

* China and most of the developing world uses Linux extensively.  Many of
those countries are ruled by oppressive governments.

Therefore, just because a group of people "cherish freedom" doesn't mean
that they use Free Software.  In converse, people who apparently hate
freedom (dem terrists hehe) often use Free Software.

The reality is that, for most people, they choose software based on
practical reasons and not ideological ones.  My assertion is that the
ideologues (like many of us) are in the minority.

Jeffrey.


On Mon, Sep 22, 2008 at 9:37 PM, Oren Beck <orenbeck at gmail.com> wrote:

>
> It serves to  underscore the adversarial Vs collaborative divide.
>
> Folks who cherish freedom tend to collaborative processes and
> transparency. As in embracing Free and Open systems,
>
> So this may be VERY telling about the personality of those who oppose
> Free and Open anything.
>
>

-- 

"He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from
oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that
will reach to himself." -- Thomas Paine
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://kclug.org/pipermail/kclug/attachments/20080923/c7696e3e/attachment.htm>