RE: [gentoo-amd64] Re: How To Play WMV (thread drift - slaveryware)

[Bob Young]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: news [mailto:news@×××××××××.org]On Behalf Of Duncan
> Sent: Thursday, September 28, 2006 5:41 PM
> To: gentoo-amd64@l.g.o
> Subject: [gentoo-amd64] Re: How To Play WMV (thread drift - slaveryware)
>
>
> "Bob Young" <BYoung@××××××××××.com> posted
> FAEEIJPAOFEMBBLKPMJEAEHIHKAA.BYoung@××××××××××.com, excerpted below, on
> Thu, 28 Sep 2006 16:03:25 -0700:

> > That's almost entirely a theoretical difference, in the real world this
> > "freedom" is actually exercised very little if at all. I'm sure there
> > are exceptions occasionally, but the fact is, the vast majority of OSS
> > users who can't read/write source code, will never once in their entire
> > life, contract with a third party to modify an app/driver/utility that
> > they have the source code for.
>
> The vast majority of users, perhaps, but it's the exercise of this freedom
> is now a MAJOR factor, perhaps now THE major factor, in further FLOSS
> development. How many companies and even government agencies now pay
> developers to full-time or part-time work on FLOSS projects they are
> interested in?  That's /very/ /much/ "hiring their own mechanic", even if
> it's the original mechanic.

Now we're getting off in to other discussions, companies purchase the CSS IP of other companies all the time, such developement "polination" is certaintly not dependent on OSS. This particular discussion however, was about "slaveryware" vs "freedomware" from the viewpoint of the end user, not corporations. To the vast majority of end users, OSS, while a nice "feel good" thing, doesn't actually make them any more free in any real practical way. Conversly CSS doesn't actually enslave users at least in any practical sense. They're just words and hyperbole that don't stand the test of logic and practical reality.

Many people, accept this doctrine (from RS) of OSS being this magical freedom tool that automatically bestows something upon them if blindly support it. They never bother to actually take a look at the reality of the situation with a critical eye, or give it some honest thought, they just "drink the cool aid." I'm not talking about you Duncan, I honestly believe you've thought about this, and are sincere, though maybe a bit over zealous.

-- 
Regards
Bob Young



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