free "software" & geeky nitpicking (was Re: [DotGNU]paying for free software (was Re: `freeing' proprietary software))

[S11001001]

Barry Fitzgerald wrote:
> If the person who built my house started telling me what I could do with
> it - I'd be pretty pissed off.  Why aren't people pissed off like this
> when it comes to software?

Well, software is computer stuff. Sometimes, when explaining free 
software, I feel that I have to explain free information first, or 
alone. The long "free-market" thing in what you replied to was from my 
diatribe on free information, of course with some wording changes back 
to "software" ;)

It's just that caring so much about this seems like geeky nitpicking to 
most people. "So what if I can't get the source code for Napster? It's 
still free!" (time offset to the past, of course) yet another problem 
with the term `open source'

`People' just don't get up in arms about their computers, which I feel 
is the biggest barrier in bring Free Software principles to the masses. 
:( I would personally love to have a bunch of vocal Free Software fans 
who were users, not hackers/sysadmins/everyone obsessed with "free as in 
price". Because "reduced TCO" is not very useful, and it will be a while 
before people can make the connection: free software -> no central 
control && get your fav. hacker (u kno u hav 1 ;) to fix it.

--
Stephen Compall
DotGNU `Contributor' -- http://www.dotgnu.org

Free software is a matter of the users' freedom to run, copy,
distribute, study, change and improve the software. More precisely, it
refers to four kinds of freedom, for the users of the software:

    * The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0).
    * The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your
    needs (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition
    for this.
    * The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor
    (freedom 2).
    * The freedom to improve the program, and release your
    improvements to the public, so that the whole community
    benefits. (freedom 3). Access to the source code is a
    precondition for this.
        -- RMS, "The Free Software Definition"