Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.
What free software means to me
Author: Eric Kidd Posted: 8/20/2000; 12:10:45 PM Topic: A History of "Open Source" Msg #: 19854 (In response to 19849) Prev/Next: 19853 / 19855
In the 'free speech' analogy, this would mean 'you can write any software you want'. I don't think that's what free software is about (well, that too, but not mainly).Free software means different things to different people. To me, it means that I give my users certain rights:
- The right to read the source code of the software they use.
- The right to fix bugs that affect their work, without asking my permission first.
- The right to enhance my software, and to publish their enhancements.
- The right to share my software with their friends, without being called a "pirate."
The following ability, though, is a side-effect of the rights above. I'm not entirely happy about this ability, but I accept it as a consequence of my other beliefs:
- The ability to use my software without paying me money.
I could take this ability away from my users, but I'd loose too many other things in the process, things that I value deeply. So instead of taking this ability away, I look for alternative ways to make money.
Obviously, other software developers won't feel the same way I do. Please, everybody, respect their wishes.
Napster
And I don't believe that free software necessarily applies to musicians and writers, either. I'm strongly opposed to Napster, because it took an important decision out of the musicians' hands. That wasn't a very respectful thing to do.
If Napster wanted users to copy music, they should have followed Stallman's example. They could have started a "Free Music Foundation", found musicians who felt the same way, and produced their own music for users to share. The Grateful Dead (and perhaps Eve 6) would have been on their side.
As a software developer, I have no right to tell musicians and authors how they should make a living. And quite frankly, authors who aren't programmers have no business telling me how to make a living, either. ;-)
Cheers,
Eric
There are responses to this message:
- Re: What free software means to me, Mark A. Hershberger, 8/20/2000; 8:35:31 PM
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