[Fsf-india] Different kinds of freedom...

[Frederick Noronha]

>  a community that includes people like V. Sasikumar who used GNU/Linux
>  initially because it was easier on the pocket, but decided to stick on
>  because they found the ideology important.
>
>  + Ranjit

Thanks to all for all your interesting arguments.

Here's a confession, to be made:

* I myself opted for GNU/Linux because of its philosophy/idealogy.
* I stay on with GNU/Linux because of its philosophy/ideology.
  (And also because of its stability/virus-free nature.)
* Cost is a small factor; is this a problem even with proprietorial
  software in 'piracy'-prone Third World countries? If it wasn't
  for GNU/Linux, I guess we would be simply using 'pirated' software.
  And, now thanks to the competition from GNU/Linux, the
  software multinationals perhaps cannot afford to squeeze Third World
  countries too hard over 'piracy' and 'intellectual property'... or
  else there will be wholesale migration to GNU/Linux.

But, IMHO:

* Cost could be the clinching factor when it comes to canvassing
  for GNU/Linux with the government/educational sector. (Freedom
  from the tyranny of budgets, corruption-fuelled deals, and
  empty coffers?)
* When helplessly slapped with the issue of 'piracy' (note the
  inverted quotes I use around this loaded concept), the cost
  aspect could be critical for an increasing number of government,
  educational and even commercial users.
* For the business user, the stability of GNU/Linux could take
  topmost rating. (Freedom from instability? Another freedom!
  All these different "freedoms" are, of course, in addition to
  the primary four defined by the FSF. My submission is that
  we need to find what 'freedom' means to different people...
  and go beyond the original concept, in a different context.)
* For the geeky home user, the freedom to experiment could be 
  of considerable importance. (Another freedom? It goes beyond
  the pay-first, use-later ideal of proprietorial software.)
* For the non-techie user, like myself, the fact that we could 
  install any number of OSs (without any financial commitment) 
  could also prompt us into trying out something which we then
  fall in love with.
* For the ICT-for-Development network (this is a growing lobby, with
  many bodies like UNDP, the World Bank etc pushing strongly for it)
  it makes a lot of sense to talk of affordability/price, since the
  bottomline for many such groups is financial and economic. Kindly
  note that the article that raked up this debate was written for
  that audience. This does not mean the arguements were dishonest;
  it's really the way how many of those I spoke to actually feel.

  Incidentally, the ICT-for-Development network is debating 
  a lot on how IT (and Communication Technologies) can help
  promote development. Perhaps there's need for more from the 
  GNU/Linux lobby to "infiltrate" this network. This is a campaign
  where Free Software has a *lot* to offer. We win the battle
  in convincing this network hands down, because the profit-is-not-all
  approach works very well when the issue of three-fourths of the
  human race (that is currently out in the cold) is at stake. FN
--
Frederick Noronha * Freelance Journalist * Goa * India 832.409490 / 409783
BYTESFORALL www.bytesforall.org  * GNU-LINUX http://linuxinindia.pitas.com
Email fred@bytesforall.org * SMS 9822122436@attcell.net * Saligao Goa India