Re: [libreplanet-discuss] Proposal for "FUD responses" wiki pages

[Paul M]

On Mon, 2016-02-29 at 12:05 +0100, Fabio Pesari wrote:
> On 02/29/2016 11:18 AM, Daniel Pocock wrote:
> > 
> > Very good, but not every person will respond like that
> 
> One should be prepared for the worst case scenarios: that includes
> taking into consideration emotional, irrational and ignorant arguments.
> 
> Those are very common among both professional developers and casual
> GNU/Linux users, and it's very easy for people to agree with them
> because they feel good and don't require any introspection.
> 
> For example, even if it seems downright childish and ridiculous, this is
> the most commonly used counter-argument to GNU/Linux:
> 
> "But I want to play videogames!"
> 

Its important to realize that this is not actually an argument against
the GPL, even if its presented as one.

As an example there are some proprietary programs I rely upon as
disability aids. There is no reasonable argument so say that I shouldn't
use them (if there is no suitable alternative) -- because to do so is to
say I should accept a form of discrimination (that, effectively, I
should accept a reduced ability to function in the world).

However this should be seen as an argument for Free Software not against
this -- in order to deal with my disability I have to give up some
freedoms in a way that could also be argued is discriminatory. 

This is not a theoretical concern. One of the programs I most rely on
makes frequent network check-ins when it has no reason to do so and I
have no way of finding out what its doing (fortunately there is GPL'd
software I can use to block it).

If it was GPL'd I would be able to find it out as well as better modify
to suit my needs vis a vis my disability, ensure it remains functional
if the developer abandons or changes it in a way that makes it no longer
functional etc. 

These are very important freedoms -- I rely on this software to be able
to hold down a job -- so my ability to deal with my disability is
effectively held ransom.

People don't need to play video games in the way that I need disability
but there are similar arguments that can be made -- the problem of
abandonware comes immediately to mind, as well as perhaps developers
making unpopular changes that ignore players wishes.

The argument that software developers needs to make money is an argument
about how society is organized economically. (As a side note an argument
about the need for a free market is very difficult to sustain when it
comes to disability: If I am unable to function fully because I am
denied access to software I need to hold a job it's no longer a free
market as I am being denied access to it).

Paul M