Saturday, March 8, 2008

Real Software Freedom Is About Choice Not Type

I have a lot of fun with Linux. Simply put Linux is more suited to my use than Windows. Not to mention I'm no fan of windows at all.

However there are several discussions about freedom in software some which are completely invalid because they discount what freedom is. Freedom is the right to make choices based on an individuals needs and motives. Not a groups. I.E. I use Flash and not Gnash. Yes Flash is Closed Source and Gnash is Open Source but the reason I use Flash is because even though it isn't perfect it works better than Gnash.

I also prefer Adobe Acrobat over kpdf because it works (and looks better.

My point is that I use Linux but I don't neceassarily restrict myself to choices based on Open Source over Closed Source.

I use what works for me and true freedom comes down to right to make that choice. Not based on a license or source code access.

Lets make this perfectly clear: True Software Freedom is the right to choose and use software one feels will work best. Militant ramblings concerning how evil closed software is do not help the Open Source Community.

Creating a Software license which is based on political ideals and not creativity are also a bad idea. Attacking developers whom write software for Linux based systems, that happens to be closed source also does not help.

Solutions in Open Source programs aren't always the best for a particular purpose and the closed source solutions may provide them. To say anyone whom uses closed source over open source doesn't get what Computing Freedom is about is full of it.

Real freedom comes with the options to make choices based on need and expected results. Not what type of software it is. As a consultant I do try and push Open Source in many ways but I also know that it isn't the only, nor always the best, option.

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