On Friday 04 April 2008, Ivan Savcic wrote: > On Fri, Apr 4, 2008 at 5:12 PM, Andrew Sackville-West > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I have a problem with this. Debian, in it's default install is > > almost assuredly GNU free. And it has the additional freedom of > > allowing the user to choose to use non-free software within the > > structure of it's packaging system. IMO that is more free than > > preventing people from using the software they want. > > I had exactly the same view on that. But RMS is obviously a purist, > he dreams to banish all closed source from this world. Like Hal > pointed out, RMS believes that there should be no freedom when it > comes to choosing freedom itself.
Personally I use very little closed source software. I have two Windows partitions for testing software for my clients. I use Java, but that's not closed anymore (depending on who you ask). Other than that, I have been using TaxCut to do family taxes (which are too complex now, since my Father's death and estate issues, to do on my own). To me that's a good example of what freedom is. There just isn't a FOSS tax program that is as reliable as TaxCut (I know there's one, but that's the kind of program I'll consider a new release for at least 5 years due to the nature of that particular beast). I have a choice of spending about $25 for TaxCut fed and state or paying an account many times that or doing it myself. In that case I want the freedom to choose. Using TaxCut provides me with more freedom than I lose by not being able to modify a program I don't want to modify anyway. I also would hate to lose the freedom of being able to enjoy the one immersive game I've ever enjoyed: Myst. I like the game and what they've done and don't care if it's closed source. (Although I admit if it were FOSS, many more sequels would have been produced, but they might also be of low quality compared to the originals.) Hal -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
