Long.....(was: [Fsf-india] From free beer to free speech?)

Gopal.V gopalv82@yahoo.com
Thu, 11 Apr 2002 21:30:39 +0530


If memory serves me right, VaRuN SiNhA wrote:
> When I first started out with GNU software, I didn't know any programming, I
> didn't have a clue about freedom (except what my 9th Standard History and
> Civics book told me). I just wanted to try out something new. 

Same here , I got my first "Linux" before I got my PC (smuggled it into
my father's office , pleaded with the MCSE sysadmin there to test it :).
Later on , after getting over the tough parts like "root" and "ls" -- I
found out that all this was not just something sweeped up from the 
debris on the internet and all this was part of GNU and all that.

IMO the primary target of free software should be the schools with
children whose curiosity potential is high . Just let it be the new
toy the school can get for free --- and catch them young !.

> A company wants to setup an intranet. PS cost: 5 lakhs (top of my head, I
> have NO idea what they really cost) FS Cost: 50, 000 (?)

FACT: What we have is a Free Beer economy in FS .

Thanks to the large number of volunteers writing Free Software,
we now have a Free Lunch (Not beer , coz I'm a teetotaler :) OS
that is very usable. But the future isn't all volunteer-built.

MYTH: Free Software costs less . 

In cost+training+syadmins Free Software actually sums up to a 
lot more than getting the CD written and installing it.

Check out http://www.wehaveawayout.com for MS propganda on this 
issue or http://wehaveawayin.com for the other way round. 

> So they spent a fraction of the cost, saw it's value. Next time they want a
> software/service, they contact the FS company who says "OK....now we'll
> charge a lakh". Customer goes "Hell....it's worth it...great software,
> fraction of the cost"

Once you feed them the "Free Beer" attitude they'll quit paying us --
and say "<this_software> already has it , I'll buy that instead of paying 
you, throw your crap in the bitbucket !".

> This cycle can be/will be repeated until FS company is charging as
> much/little less than PS company. The deciding factor, then will be quality
> of software. No guesses on who will win there.

OOPS !. Are you under the impression that Microsoft or for that matter
any PS company lacks man power to make their software top class ?. Those
guys have the best programmers money can buy !. (Even "Linus Torvalds" was
working under Paul Allen !).

Wake up and take a look at Solaris on a SUN box -- that's the stuff we
compete against with GNU/Linux on Intel x86's.

> Why not others, if not me.

This is a good idea , but for the average computer "USER" -- paying is
not a concern. If they don't pay when FORCED to , do you think they'll
pay when ASKED to ?. It's not like they don't like Windows, most of the
pirates are willing to call "GNU/Linux" a worthless crap compared to
Windows.

IMO, my contributions to the Free Software effort will be CODE and 
money doesn't figure here.

> My mum uses Windows at home simply because that's what came with it. 

*THE POINT* : inertia is the major problem for any revolution.

> Tomorrow, if someone came and said "Ma'am, here is this OS and
> office suite, free of charge and it's really good" she would use it. 

Newbie : hey how do I use a floppy , I can't find an a: here 
Guru   : Do a mount /mnt/floppy and then copy to /mnt/floppy then
           umount /mnt/floppy before taking it out.
Newbie : All that went over my head , I guess I'll quit this 
         geeky-foo.
Guru   : Hey don't quit it , It's got "FREEDOM".
Newbie : What can I do with freedom when it takes two hours to 
         learn to read a floppy ?.

But if you start with "FREEDOM" rather than "FREE/GRATIS" , we 
will find more people actually using it for Freedom rather than
as an experiment with Freeware (ugh !).

> She installs the free (beer) SW, see that it absolutely ROCKS. 

In my experience the "ROCKS" part doesn't happen that often. For a
desktop OS , GNU/Linux has a lot of failings like "Security" , "Shell",
"Install trouble", "Configuration files"........

> She sees the quality of FS. She tells her office about it. Next time the
> office is upgrading, they contact the FS company, who customizes their
> software as well, at a fraction of PS cost.

The point is a PS company could do this as well -- that is what exactly
happened with WIN NT. Everybody got experience in Win 95 -- goes to office 
spreads Win 95 there -- seeing that unstable buys NT -- END OF STORY.

The FS "companies" are growing rare due to everyone talking about the 
Free Beer ideas :). A little longer and "FS Companies" may go the Dodo way.

So this way leads to the egress (if you know what I mean ;).

> So the way I see, it harping on the free (beer) aspect, isn't really that
> bad.

Free Beer is not our aim -- but by paying for your features you can
ensure that this product remains alive for you to get for "Free" (in all
aspects) with updates. 

Also you get to give to friends who ask, without breaking any laws.
So emphasis on Freedom covers Free (beer/speech) ,so why go for the
smaller aspect -- see the big picture.

IMO what has to emphasised is that paying for free software makes 
you the "OWNER" of your copy -- not the "LICENSEE" which PS does.
Also it is an investment which you will improve the program you like,
but unfortunately most people think shortsightedly about money.

Also I'm tired of typing ....... so I stop....rest in next mail.

Gopal.V
-- 
 The difference between insanity and genius is only measured by success
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