emacsen's journal - Never forgetting the Free in Free Software

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July 27th, 2008

10:29 pm

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Never forgetting the Free in Free Software
A few weeks ago I posted a reply to my local LUG list asking them to reference a large event as supporting both Free Software as well as Open Source (which had been the original title).

The replies I received amounted to "Shut the hell up", and one list member stating that people should fear me, I am "capable of anything".

I decided not to go to the event, a "picnic" as discussed. I'd received too many responses- not just negative responses but threats. Why go into a situation with such negativity when I could just as easily spend it at home with my girlfriend? Moreover, why bring her into a situation where she could be hurt, or at very least, be fearful of my safety?

But when I saw this same group hadn't had a speaker in about six months, I stepped up to give a talk.

The premise of the talk is the role of GNU/Linux and Free Software in the mobile phone. And to be sure, I'll cover the basics of both the Android and OpenMoko platforms, but at the same time no less than 1/3rd of the talk will be dedicated to Free Software, specifically the unique role that Free Software plays in this new computing platform, or more specifically, the dangers of non-Free platforms in this space.

The question I've had to ask myself is why. It's not so much the flamewars. I've been on the 'net in various forms since the mid-90s. Trolls and flamewars are part of the fabric of online life. What's changed for me is that the hostility has moved from one of ideas to personal attacks. These have never been part of the equation and I can tell you that up until now, I've never felt physically threatened by the FLOSS community.

There's also the question of why give a talk to a group which has been consumed largely with apathy and hasn't booked a speaker in so long. It wouldn't be an exaggeration for me to tell you that I weighed these views heavily when deciding to offer to give another talk.

The answer is that despite itself, the "Linux" community needs us in the Free Software community to remind them of what's really at stake. It riles people up when I openly criticize Linux. I honestly couldn't care less about the kernel, nor the Unix design in general. My main focus is on control, ensuring that the user remains in control of their machine and their data.

This is why I make the effort.

Tags: computers, politics, rant

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Comments

From:	(Anonymous)
Date:	July 28th, 2008 02:29 pm (UTC)

Good on ya!

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I can't understand what kind of person would threaten you for wanting to promote Freedom.
Goes to show that a certain percentage of the population (any population) are complete tossers.

Good luck with your talk! :)

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From:	awils1
Date:	August 17th, 2008 08:05 am (UTC)

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Hiya.

Saw your comment over at

unknown_lamer, and thought to myself, “Oh, another FSF!awesome person. Better friend them”.

Good on you for continuing with your resolve; as you say, the ’Linux’ community needs the constant voice in their ears reminding them that their community wouldn’t be in existence without the freedoms that the Free Software community look after.

Suppose that it’s a sort of fate for us to have to look like hippies in front of our peers for the sake of being morally and ethically right with regard to software.

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