Richard Stallman looks back at 25 years of the GNU project
Posted by: Benjamin Huot
on September 27, 2008 02:49 PM
Unfortunately, Stallman notes, "People who support human rights or a better society for most people don't realize that there's even an issue of supporting free software. And this is partly because open source has been so successful in hiding our existence. In the US, the propaganda that denies any solution to problems other than business solutions is very strong. It only thinks in terms of profit, and takes for granted that everything must yield to that."
I struggle with this all the time. People who are interested in social issues tend not to even understand software enough to grasp the concept of open source and free software as in freedom. It is hard even to explain to them the concept of free and open file formats. Even in the government they don't seem to think anything is wrong with distributing documents solely in Microsoft Office formats and are shocked when you say you don't have Microsoft Office. But they seem to understand accessibility in terms of physical disabilities. I even get greater shock when I explain I am producing books that I give away for free and do that with free software. They can't understand why I don't want to make money off of them. If they know a little about computers they always say, what happens when they stop supporting it as if free/open source software is the same as freeware. They seem surprised when I say I create and view PDFs without any Adobe software. When I say I am a designer, they just assume I use Dreamweaver and Photoshop. I explain to them that for my uses, they don't add any value and cost hundreds of dollars a piece. My mom still confuses Windows, Word, and Works. My mom is still looking for a program that can open *any* file format. She calls NeoOffice the "little ship" program.
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Richard Stallman looks back at 25 years of the GNU project
Posted by: Benjamin Huot on September 27, 2008 02:49 PMI struggle with this all the time. People who are interested in social issues tend not to even understand software enough to grasp the concept of open source and free software as in freedom. It is hard even to explain to them the concept of free and open file formats. Even in the government they don't seem to think anything is wrong with distributing documents solely in Microsoft Office formats and are shocked when you say you don't have Microsoft Office. But they seem to understand accessibility in terms of physical disabilities. I even get greater shock when I explain I am producing books that I give away for free and do that with free software. They can't understand why I don't want to make money off of them. If they know a little about computers they always say, what happens when they stop supporting it as if free/open source software is the same as freeware. They seem surprised when I say I create and view PDFs without any Adobe software. When I say I am a designer, they just assume I use Dreamweaver and Photoshop. I explain to them that for my uses, they don't add any value and cost hundreds of dollars a piece. My mom still confuses Windows, Word, and Works. My mom is still looking for a program that can open *any* file format. She calls NeoOffice the "little ship" program.
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