My Own Concern [LWN.net]

My Own Concern

Posted Aug 31, 2006 23:46 UTC (Thu) by leoc (subscriber, #39773)
In reply to: My Concern by emkey
Parent article: Fedora Core to drop openmotif

"Cripple Linux and you strengthen Microsoft. Cripple Linux and you make Bill Gates and associates very happy people."

The increasing prevalence of this argument from people like you and ESR is what concerns ME. You know, not everyone is obsessed with using Linux only because it harms Microsoft or makes Bill Gates angry. For many of us, they are totally irrelevant. The "Free" part of Free Software is not about cost or convenience, it is about being able to do what I want when I want with my computer. If this is too "ideological" for you, so be it, but IMHO Linux would not be where it is today if people had decided earlier on that compromising on the freedom was just fine so long as it hurt Microsoft enough. So what if this means Linux won't take over the world tomorrow, I don't see how closed-source-Linux-dominated industry is any better that a Windows-dominated industry.

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My Own Concern

Posted Sep 2, 2006 6:42 UTC (Sat) by emkey (guest, #144) [Link]

You clearly don't understand where Bill Gates and Microsoft are heading. You won't be able to run Linux on anything if they win the day. Think about DRM and the implications of some of the hardware initiatives associated with it.

Also, as I've said before... Your freedom is fine so long as it doesn't impinge on my ability to make choices and get work done.