Non-free software is divisive and harmful.

I'm not sure what community you are referring to here, since you previously stated yourself:

"Your community perhaps. Certainly not mine."

You then claimed your right to use proprietary software as an individual is one of aspects of freedom too.
But now you say that being less divisive by having everyone use that (practical) proprietary software would tighten the community, which implies this would be a good thing.

You are not consistent, unless you claim that being non-divisive when it suits you in your divisiveness is yet another side of your own personal freedom, which roughly translates to,
"A community is a good thing, as long as it caters to my needs."

That is a valid opinion, but it would be nice if you could call a spork a spork.

>Somewhere, somehow somebody is paying.
Yes. In this case Google is.

>In the case of something like Google Earth the cost is almost certainly significantly more money then most of us will see in a lifetime.

or, alternatively:
In the case of something like a complete modern operating system the cost is almost certainly significantly more money then most of us will see in a lifetime.

Yes, probably.