Re: [libreplanet-discuss] The future of Free Software and Free Society

[Will Hill]

Thank you for doing document freedom work, but I think you have to put 
software freedom first in your explanations.  It's as simple as telling 
people that non free software works for other people and does bad things to 
the user.  The high cost of information ownership is more than apparent to 
people who's devices spy on them, won't let them share with their friends, or 
even own the media they think they are buying.  If you give people the right 
framework, they can work out the details for themselves each time some 
computer infuriates them.

You can end your explanation of the benefits of free formats by telling people 
that non free platform owners can nullify all of the benefits.  Apple, for 
example, is being sued for deleting people's music that had not been 
purchased through Apple's store.  

I enjoy talking to Pirate Party people about these issues.  They have lots of 
interesting ideas and hopefully will be able to carry them out.  I also enjoy 
sharing with them some free software insights, like RMS's wonderful 
perspective and practical reform ideas, 

http://features.slashdot.org/story/13/01/06/163248/richard-stallman-answers-your-questions
http://www.archive.org/details/20090203-Richard-Stallman-UofC-01

One thing I think the Pirate Party should understand is that none of their 
reforms will have practical impact without software freedom.  We need to be 
careful that reforms undermine our oppressors without accidently torpedoing 
software freedom.  

On Monday 09 March 2015, Robinson Tryon wrote:
> At least in the US, I'm not so sure that the general public sees the
> importance or usefulness of things such as [software freedom]
>
>... we've got to start with small tidbits such as the intrinsic, personal
> benefits of having access to one's own data, and build upon that
> starting point as the basis for greater education and acceptance.
> http://documentfreedom.org/
> ... 
> Everyone on this list, or *everyone* ? If change is desired, we need
> to have a solid, believable plan to sell to everyone out there who's
> buying diapers and paying a mortgage based on income from proprietary
> software and DRM'd media. 
> ...
> Will there be many at LibrePlanet? It would be great to hear policy
> positions, etc...