Don't be afraid: Linux is good for you (Globe and Mail) [LWN.net]

Don't be afraid: Linux is good for you (Globe and Mail)

Posted Aug 3, 2003 2:08 UTC (Sun) by coriordan (subscriber, #7544)
In reply to: Don't be afraid: Linux is good for you (Globe and Mail) by dooglio
Parent article: Don't be afraid: Linux is good for you (Globe and Mail)

Some other useful points and come backs for in future:

RMS says "Unfettered" is a one replacement for "free".

Communism is about central controll, Free Software is the opposite.

> The point is that you [...can] get into the source code
> and customize the heck out of it

It's not really important that _you_ can change the code, it's that _everyone_ can change the code (and distribute altered versions). We have to remember to think as a community. I'm a programmer but I don't have time to hack GNOME so the freedom to hack GNOME is not much use to me. Other members of the community do have time to hack GNOME, and I benefit. (and the GNOME developers benefit from the work I do on GNU Grub and acct.)

Un-American?
We're giving software to *all* Americans without asking for a single thing in return. You can also point out that GNU/Linux creates a free market, which allows good old American Capitalist competition. (M$ isn't capitalist, it's more dictatorial).

I hope some of these come in handy.
Ciaran O'Riordan
(not an American)

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Don't be afraid: Linux is good for you (Globe and Mail)

Posted Aug 5, 2003 19:45 UTC (Tue) by MLKahnt (subscriber, #6642) [Link]

Just a clarification - Communism isn't about central control, anymore than Capitalism is about massive payments to corporate CEOs. Both have proven to be tools in the process of moving to eventual economic profiles that each pursues, but Marxian theory envisions the eventual transfer of control to collective direction by the workers, after the passing of the "Dictatorship of the Proletariat" that was considered necessary to re-orient society.

I'm not convinced that either system stands massively over the other in morality or economic efficiency. I do know that with many public corporations, there is comparable democracy in choosing Boards of Directors as there is in electing Communist-led legislatures.

Don't be afraid: Linux is good for you (Globe and Mail)

Posted Aug 6, 2003 1:47 UTC (Wed) by coriordan (subscriber, #7544) [Link]

> Communism isn't about central control

I'll rethink my argument for next time.

thanks for the nod.
Ciaran O'Riordan