Re: “Free Software”: An idea whose time has passed?

[al3xu5]

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 12:33:27 -0700 - Danny Spitzberg <stationaery@gmail.com>:

> Interesting perspective, worth engaging with. It covers everything from
> the term free/libre and beer, to Microsoft and IEC 62304, to not getting
> credit and reactionary attitudes.
> 
>  “Free Software”: An idea whose time has passed
> 
> Robert M. Lefkowitz
> <https://r0ml.medium.com/?source=post_page-----6570c1d8218a-------------------------------->
> 
> [...]
> https://r0ml.medium.com/free-software-an-idea-whose-time-has-passed-6570c1d8218a


Although there are some shareable passages, especially in relation to the
"history" of open/free software, I am in total disagreement with the
conclusions and the pragmatic approach, indeed utilitarian, of Mr.
Lefkowitz.

The criticism that today I find myself having to do to FSF (of which I am
a member of 2009) is that of having almost completely abandoned the
original philosophical approach (political, ideological), to focus on
purely legal and technical (and maybe utilitarians) aspects, and on
internal struggles behind which (IMHO) I think there are also capitalistic
and financial interests of some corporations, which subsidize developers
and projects only for profit reasons and social control.

Instead, I would like the exact opposite: that FSF was essentially
concentrated on the social and political aspects related to digital
software and technologies in general, at a much higher and broad level
(social, philosophical, political, ideological up to radical criticism and
rejection of capitalism and financial income) than a merely defense of 4
legal rights (improperly said freedoms), that take a very little
importance with respect to freedom and (more importantly) equality among
people. 

Regards
al3xu5

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