Re: [libreplanet-discuss] Label Campaign

[Niels Serup]

On Sun, 27 May 2012 12:51:47 +0200
al3xu5 / dotcommon <dotcommon@autistici.org> wrote:

> Il giorno mercoledì 23/05/2012 14:47:00 CEST
> Robert Martinez <mail@mray.de> ha scritto:
> 
> > I think there should be a campaign and I'm curious what you think.
> >    It should be about making ethical choices transparent.
> 
> I can not understand how "trasparent" could be something applicable
> to "ethical choices"...
> 
> > Most non-technical users cannot see or understand what software
> > freedom is. All they eventually get is a license name and/or
> > version, some "open foo" buzzwords and maybe the hint that it is
> > free software. They are unable to recognize in how far their choice
> > actually connects to the idea of free software.
> > In order to help people make right choices the free software
> > community should use its authority and start labeling what is
> > considered free software.
> 
> I totally disagree. 
> 
> Such an approach is declaredly paternalistic and authoritary, which
> could not be a good way to spread neither "ethical choices" nor
> freedom.
> 
> More, understanding and awareness are never things you can achieve
> with drastic simplifications or shortcuts of any kind. Things need to
> be discussed directly with people and thoroughly... 
> 
> The idea that a label can serve to make people's choices more ethical
> and conscious or to spread freedom is simply wrong, and can only lead
> to the opposite result... the same way clicking the FB's 'I like'
> button is not enough to make us free to choose, and does not make us
> aware of anything or make people friends...

The label should not be a tool to introduce new users to free
software. It should be a tool to tell people who know about free
software if a program is free or not.

Introducing free software to new users should be done the way you
describe.

> 
> Regards

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