Re: Octave Help Mode?

[David Hansen]

On Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:52:32 +0200 Lennart Borgman wrote:

> David Hansen wrote:
>> And by the way, I think it's very questionable if it still counts as
>> "science" if you use proprietary software, if you don't have at least
>> full access to the source code.
>
>
> It is good thinking, but I am sorry to say that too much of science
> today is "proprietary" in one sense or another. If you interested then
> there is a lot to study and think about. Some of my favorite questions
> are:
>
> - Who decide what research to do? Why? Consequences?
> - Who decide what framework/paradigm to use? Why? Consequences?
> - Who decide what we can read without paying? Why? Consequences?
> - Who decide who can do research? Why? Consequences?

As long as human beings are involved it's probably always about
money/power/fame and stuff.  But it's especially sad if people don't
even play by their own rules.

It's one of the prerequisites of science that the community can review
and check the results.  It's even worse when a lot of money is involved
e.g. the medical science.

If students try to use free alternatives to proprietary software it's at
least a very small step in the right direction.

And if a professor refuses a nearly full compatible alternative that's
pretty lame.

David