[Fsf-friends] Non-free software is wrong says Stallman
Soundara Rajan N.S.
searchlight@sancharnet.in
Sun, 08 Dec 2002 15:20:25 -0800
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
--Boundary_(ID_yZXMwWySdTT6UUVFttEw5Q)
Content-type: multipart/alternative;
boundary="Boundary_(ID_P7qGubJv4+kjqQzsUVyACg)"
--Boundary_(ID_P7qGubJv4+kjqQzsUVyACg)
Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Non-free software is wrong says Stallman
By Mark Ward
Every time you buy software from companies such as Microsoft, IBM, Sun and Adobe you hand over much more than just money, you also give up basic freedoms and human rights.
So says Richard Stallman, president of the Free Software Foundation, and long-time campaigner against the proprietary programs produced and owned by many software companies.
The assumed ownership of software by Microsoft and many others irks Mr Stallman and is something he wants stopped.
"Non-free software is wrong and we do not want it in our lives," he told BBC News Online.
Fighting force
He has been campaigning since 1984 for the end of proprietary software.
As an alternative the Free Software Foundation he heads is developing an operating system, called Gnu, that can be used without restriction.
A whole generation has grown up with the idea that it is normal for them to have no freedom
Richard Stallman
His tireless campaigning has inspired the open source movement which gives people more freedom to tinker with software, albeit not as much as Mr Stallman would like.
For him the FSF is the "militant wing" and open source advocates "spineless" because they forget that using software is a matter of ethics.
The Open Source movement owes a huge creative debt to Mr Stallman.
How much do you know about Gnu/Linux?
Take the quiz
Linux, the operating system many people associate with Open Source, should properly be called Gnu/Linux to properly reflect its heritage.
Patent games
The Free Software Foundation stands in opposition to forces of software ownership. The sense of "free" it believes in does not mean that people cannot charge for their work to produce programs.
Instead "free" means the liberty to tinker with software, find out how it works and share it with other people without restriction.
Unlike many other countries the US has laws permitting the patenting of features in software. As a result, says Mr Stallman, the freedom that programmers have to tinker, experiment and innovate is gradually shrinking.
Often, he says, patents are used to protect markets software companies dominate and shut out competition.
So far almost 100,000 software patents have been granted in the US, he points out.
Patents protect Microsoft's ASF streaming file format and others protect colour separation techniques, widely used image and music formats and many other features and programming techniques.
Ethical effects
But the problem with proprietary software does not stop with its stunting of innovation or with helping maintain monopolies, says Mr Stallman.
If I cannot share it then I will not install it. If it requires me to mistreat others I would say no to it
Richard Stallman
The larger point, he believes, is that these companies trample over basic human freedoms and force people to trade cherished autonomy for convenience.
"Proprietary software is not designed to serve you but it is designed to control you," he says. "It is designed to serve someone else."
And it is not just software companies that are trying to limit rights to tinker and copy.
Record companies and film makers are joining in and stopping people freely copying music and movies.
"A whole generation has grown up with the idea that it is normal for them to have no freedom," says Mr Stallman.
"We should destroy the record companies and put an end to institutions that are this arrogant and trying to take away our freedom," he says.
All that musicians get from signing up with a record company is publicity, believes Mr Stallman. While agreeing that record companies are effective marketers of music, he says the social costs of this are very high.
"It's better if we have a little bit less effective publicity and freedom to share with each other," he says.
"The end point is that all published software should be free, you should always have the freedom to study, change and share software," he says. "These should be inalienable rights."
"If I cannot share it then I will not install it," he says, "if it requires me to mistreat others I would say no to it."
_______________________________________________________________________________
Posted by N.S. Soundara Rajan, freelance IT journalist and Knowledge networker, based at Mysore, India
...connecting people to people, and people to knowledge
--Boundary_(ID_P7qGubJv4+kjqQzsUVyACg)
Content-type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1
Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; =
charset=3Diso-8859-1">
<META content=3D"MSHTML 5.50.4134.600" name=3DGENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D4><SPAN class=3Ddate><STRONG>Non-free =
software is wrong=20
says Stallman</STRONG></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN class=3Ddate><FONT=20
size=3D1></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN class=3Ddate><FONT=20
size=3D1></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><STRONG>By Mark Ward</STRONG><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=3Dinlineimage><FONT class=3Dbody face=3Dsans-serif =
size=3D2>Every time you=20
buy software from companies such as Microsoft, IBM, Sun and Adobe you =
hand over=20
much more than just money, you also give up basic freedoms and human =
rights.=20
</DIV>
<P class=3Dbodytext>So says Richard Stallman, president of the Free =
Software=20
Foundation, and long-time campaigner against the proprietary programs =
produced=20
and owned by many software companies.=20
<P class=3Dbodytext>The assumed ownership of software by Microsoft and =
many others=20
irks Mr Stallman and is something he wants stopped.=20
<P class=3Dbodytext>"Non-free software is wrong and we do not want it in =
our=20
lives," he told BBC News Online.=20
<P class=3Dbodytext><B>Fighting force</B>=20
<P class=3Dbodytext>He has been campaigning since 1984 for the end of =
proprietary=20
software.=20
<P class=3Dbodytext>As an alternative the Free Software Foundation he =
heads is=20
developing an operating system, called Gnu, that can be used without=20
restriction.=20
<P class=3Dbodytext>
<P class=3Dbodytext><!-- GENInlineBOX -->
<TABLE class=3Dboxbody cellSpacing=3D0 cellPadding=3D3 width=3D150 =
align=3Dright=20
bgColor=3D#ffffcc border=3D0><!-- GENInlineQUOTE -->
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD><IMG height=3D18 alt=3D""=20
=
src=3D"mhtml:mid://00000037/!http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/startqu=
ote.gif"=20
width=3D23 border=3D0 valign=3D"TOP"><BR>
<DIV class=3Dboxbody>A whole generation has grown up with the idea =
that it=20
is normal for them to have no freedom </DIV><IMG height=3D18 =
alt=3D""=20
=
src=3D"mhtml:mid://00000037/!http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/endquot=
e.gif"=20
width=3D23 align=3Dright border=3D0 valign=3D"ABSBOTTOM"><BR =
clear=3Dall></TD></TR><!-- GENInlineNAME -->
<TR>
<TD bgColor=3D#cccc99>
<DIV class=3Dboxhead>Richard Stallman =
</DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>His tireless=20
campaigning has inspired the open source movement which gives people =
more=20
freedom to tinker with software, albeit not as much as Mr Stallman would =
like.=20
<P class=3Dbodytext>For him the FSF is the "militant wing" and open =
source=20
advocates "spineless" because they forget that using software is a =
matter of=20
ethics.=20
<P class=3Dbodytext>The Open Source movement owes a huge creative debt =
to Mr=20
Stallman.=20
<P class=3Dbodytext>
<P class=3Dbodytext>
<DIV class=3Dbulletheadline><A=20
href=3D"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/2547495.stm"><B>How much =
do you know=20
about Gnu/Linux?</B><BR>Take the quiz </A></DIV>
<DIV class=3Dbodytext><BR></DIV>
<P class=3Dbodytext>Linux, the operating system many people associate =
with Open=20
Source, should properly be called Gnu/Linux to properly reflect its =
heritage.=20
<P class=3Dbodytext><B>Patent games</B>=20
<P class=3Dbodytext>The Free Software Foundation stands in opposition to =
forces of=20
software ownership. The sense of "free" it believes in does not mean =
that people=20
cannot charge for their work to produce programs. </P>
<P class=3Dbodytext>Instead "free" means the liberty to tinker with =
software, find=20
out how it works and share it with other people without restriction. =
</P>
<P class=3Dbodytext>Unlike many other countries the US has laws =
permitting the=20
patenting of features in software. As a result, says Mr Stallman, the =
freedom=20
that programmers have to tinker, experiment and innovate is gradually =
shrinking.=20
<P class=3Dbodytext>Often, he says, patents are used to protect markets =
software=20
companies dominate and shut out competition.=20
<P class=3Dbodytext>So far almost 100,000 software patents have been =
granted in=20
the US, he points out.=20
<P class=3Dbodytext>Patents protect Microsoft's ASF streaming file =
format and=20
others protect colour separation techniques, widely used image and music =
formats=20
and many other features and programming techniques.=20
<P class=3Dbodytext><B>Ethical effects</B>=20
<P class=3Dbodytext>But the problem with proprietary software does not =
stop with=20
its stunting of innovation or with helping maintain monopolies, says Mr=20
Stallman.=20
<P class=3Dbodytext><!-- GENInlineBOX -->
<TABLE class=3Dboxbody cellSpacing=3D0 cellPadding=3D3 width=3D150 =
align=3Dright=20
bgColor=3D#ffffcc border=3D0><!-- GENInlineQUOTE -->
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD><IMG height=3D18 alt=3D""=20
=
src=3D"mhtml:mid://00000037/!http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/startqu=
ote.gif"=20
width=3D23 border=3D0 valign=3D"TOP"><BR>
<DIV class=3Dboxbody>If I cannot share it then I will not install =
it. If it=20
requires me to mistreat others I would say no to it </DIV><IMG =
height=3D18=20
alt=3D""=20
=
src=3D"mhtml:mid://00000037/!http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/endquot=
e.gif"=20
width=3D23 align=3Dright border=3D0 valign=3D"ABSBOTTOM"><BR =
clear=3Dall></TD></TR><!-- GENInlineNAME -->
<TR>
<TD bgColor=3D#cccc99>
<DIV class=3Dboxhead>Richard Stallman =
</DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>The larger=20
point, he believes, is that these companies trample over basic human =
freedoms=20
and force people to trade cherished autonomy for convenience.=20
<P class=3Dbodytext>"Proprietary software is not designed to serve you =
but it is=20
designed to control you," he says. "It is designed to serve someone =
else."=20
<P class=3Dbodytext>And it is not just software companies that are =
trying to limit=20
rights to tinker and copy.=20
<P class=3Dbodytext>Record companies and film makers are joining in and =
stopping=20
people freely copying music and movies.=20
<P class=3Dbodytext>"A whole generation has grown up with the idea that =
it is=20
normal for them to have no freedom," says Mr Stallman.=20
<P class=3Dbodytext>"We should destroy the record companies and put an =
end to=20
institutions that are this arrogant and trying to take away our =
freedom," he=20
says.=20
<P class=3Dbodytext>All that musicians get from signing up with a record =
company=20
is publicity, believes Mr Stallman. While agreeing that record companies =
are=20
effective marketers of music, he says the social costs of this are very =
high.=20
<P class=3Dbodytext>"It's better if we have a little bit less effective =
publicity=20
and freedom to share with each other," he says.=20
<P class=3Dbodytext>"The end point is that all published software should =
be free,=20
you should always have the freedom to study, change and share software," =
he=20
says. "These should be inalienable rights."=20
<P class=3Dbodytext>"If I cannot share it then I will not install it," =
he says,=20
"if it requires me to mistreat others I would say no to it."<A=20
href=3D"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/services/copyright/html/def=
ault.stm"><IMG=20
alt=3D"=A9 BBC"=20
src=3D"mhtml:mid://00000037/!http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/special=
s_nav/copyright_bbc.gif"=20
border=3D0></A></P>
<P=20
class=3Dbodytext>________________________________________________________=
_______________________</P>
<P class=3Dbodytext>Posted by N.S. Soundara Rajan, freelance IT =
journalist a<FONT=20
face=3DArial size=3D2>nd </FONT><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Knowledge =
networker, based=20
at Mysore, India </FONT></P>
<P class=3Dbodytext> <FONT face=3D"Monotype Corsiva" =
color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D4>...connecting people to people, and people to=20
knowledge</FONT></P></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
--Boundary_(ID_P7qGubJv4+kjqQzsUVyACg)--
--Boundary_(ID_yZXMwWySdTT6UUVFttEw5Q)
Content-type: image/gif; name=startquote.gif
Content-transfer-encoding: base64
Content-disposition: attachment; filename=startquote.gif
Content-Location: http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/startquote.gif
R0lGODlhFwASAKL/AMvLmNXVouLir/Dwvf//zPn5x///zv//0CwAAAAAFwASAEADg0iqViErrvFM
ACCMTQxzmLAV0iAEzyA1JyoUniJksNSBUExcWI8NBsPA5wuQbjONbtG4vDw4G2MIAEp4xMCU2BMI
ubTYjAsphaSsjEpRSNZW0di3uoy4l2PBIWgbD/Y6WD1GHnNEZYI+QIZZbWB0TWBGBGM+ZWyVGEoM
BAUkdZyeHQoJADs=
--Boundary_(ID_yZXMwWySdTT6UUVFttEw5Q)
Content-type: image/gif; name=endquote.gif
Content-transfer-encoding: base64
Content-disposition: attachment; filename=endquote.gif
Content-Location: http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/endquote.gif
R0lGODlhFwASAKL/AMvLmNXVouLir/DwvcDAwPn5xwAAAAAAACH5BAEAAAQALAAAAAAXABIAQANm
SLrczgLICcYqgcpARhaPElUNpm3LcEogY7aPSnYZBYsnaK5WtwKchuzWGN0iwcfLIQg4iYpBMyDo
EUYa2E4z2HKjPw72q6hpkoWBFCVU15IpiZUJLBSBIcISgg95AERNc0wBdg0JADsAW2c9MFMLYpNc
iieceQFtjSyUKwkAOw==
--Boundary_(ID_yZXMwWySdTT6UUVFttEw5Q)
Content-type: image/gif; name=copyright_bbc.gif
Content-transfer-encoding: base64
Content-disposition: attachment; filename=copyright_bbc.gif
Content-Location:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/specials_nav/copyright_bbc.gif
R0lGODlhSQARAJECAAAAMwAAAP///wAAACH5BAEAAAIALAAAAABJABEAAAKBlI+py+0Po5y02ovz
CpyrDoZGSAZjCWYmsh5oKrzdKWPrHLOevuMuDvu1KqZhTniiKWO3nrO4sxQTQ2DzmmQ2aaLLlMX7
PMVbbVe6rDrNaejaHESDw8x22cqNS/XarPU+1uejwTDI1sdzZWRISCWjiJJX0tjwCDkJh0m5ydnp
CVEAADs=
--Boundary_(ID_yZXMwWySdTT6UUVFttEw5Q)--