[libreplanet-discuss] What do you think about the FSF using/endorsing nonfree cultural works?

[Fabio Pesari]

I know this is going to be controversial and I understand that the FSF
is about software and not culture but in truth, I disagree with the
FSF's (and the GNU project's) usage of nonfree cultural licenses (like
the CC-BY-ND).

I disagree with the idea that things that express a subjective point of
view do not have to be free. Some software expresses a subjective POV,
and most art does: before copyright laws, all works of art, religion and
science used to be technically free, but that didn't stop people from
creating them!

The argument that using a free license lets a personal POV get "twisted"
is faulty, because doing that is libellous (a crime) and I don't see
anybody putting words in the mouths of Leo Tolstoy, Leonardo da Vinci
and H.P. Lovecraft (all authors whose works are in the public domain).
Attribution is not defamation!

The same applies to many of our contemporaries who release their works
under a free culture license - the folks at OpenGameArt can confirm you
that, and I believe they are emotionally invested in their creations.

There is a strong relationship between nonfree culture and nonfree
software. Who wants DRM? Hollywood, the music industry and book
publishers. It seems to me that promoting free culture would benefit
free software, in the long run.

This line of thought also affects negatively a whole category of
software, videogames:

https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/nonfree-games.html

> Since the art in the game is not software, 
> it is not ethically imperative to make the art free

Aside from the fact that the art in videogames is functional and thus it
should be free (according to the GNU FSDG), this statement can only lead
to fewer libre games which can be distributed in free distros,
reinforcing the beliefs gamers have about libre gaming.

I can understand that the FSF wants to focus on software and it must let
someone else campaign for free culture, but downright obstructing it
(even when it directly affects software, in the case of videogames)
doesn't really help our cause, especially when even a site like
OpenSource.com is using a copyleft license, the CC BY-SA!

I posted this not to start a flame war but because there are already
many people who accuse the FSF of applying a double standard:

http://www.cnet.com/news/fsf-promotes-freedom-with-a-closed-web-site/

http://blog.ninapaley.com/2011/07/04/rantifesto/

https://onpon4.github.io/other/fsf-no-derivatives/

I think it's better to have this discussion now and among free software
supporters than later in the press.