On 9/29/06, Bob Young <BYoung@...> wrote:
> > But they *do* accurately reflect the relationship between vendors and
> > users from Duncan's viewpoint.  Your viewpoint is obviously different,
> > but doesn't mean yours is the only "true" one.
>
> Oh please, spare me the relative truth crap. You can argue all you want that
> it's true from Duncan's perspective because that's the way it *feels* to
> him. In the end that's just feel good rationalization and total bullshit.

Ok, so now you are saying that Duncan's opinion is wrong.  You don't
respect Duncan's opinion, but you expect us to respect yours?  I call
hypocrite.

> conveniently avoids the confrontational point, namely that there isn't any
> hard concrete logic and reason to support or justify the usage of words such
> as slaveryware and freedomware.

Hard concrete logic: *everybody* has the right to modify and
distribute open source software.  How is that *not* freedom?

BTW, it doesn't matter to me how many people actually exercise that
right.  I choose not to own a gun...that doesn't at all effect my
freedom to do so if I choose.

> > No.  They should feel empowered to learn about programming and help
> > fix it, or entice others to do so.
>
> That's obviously not what currently happens for the vast majority of people
> using OSS, why is that, what's wrong?

Are you saying that the "vast majority" of users do _nothing_ when
they run into a problem with OSS?  That they do not post to a mail
list, or forum, or IRC, or file a bug report?  All of those activities
fall under the "entice others to do so" category IMO, and if that is
what you are claiming, I want to see your poll numbers, because it is
not at all "obvious" to me.

Oh, wait, I can hear you now: "but that is no different than with
closed source".  You already know the counter argument: with closed
source, the only people who can provide the patch are those who own
the source.  With open source, anybody can produce and send a patch to
the user.  So with open source, even if the user doesn't exercise
their freedom directly, they can (and do) ask others to exercise that
freedom on their behalf.

-Richard
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