[CS-FSLUG] The Moral Foundation of Free Software

[Norbert Bollow]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Aaron Patrick Lehmann <lehmanap at cs.purdue.edu> wrote:

> I propose that in a vast array of situations, a closed source
> alternative is better stewardship nowadays.

Please let's not forget that good stewardship is not just about
getting the work done without needless costs, it's also about
avoiding situations like that described in 1 Sam 16:19-23, where
only two people in the whole army of Israel had proper weapons,
because the Philistines had made sure that there were no smiths
among the people of Israel.  With Microsoft's proprietary software,
only one company (Microsoft) is able to change the software.  With
Free Software, everyone has the right to make needed changes, which
includes many Christians who have the necessary skills.

> More and more, students are taught how to use Microsoft's excellent
> suite of office tools in high school.  People are growing up with a
> computer that runs the latest Windows, and even adults are
> comfortable with it.  This competency is not a result of Microsoft's
> "intuitive" interface, but of long exposure and hard work.  Be that
> as it may, from a Church's perspective, its free (as in beer).  The
> church didn't have to pay to train its office people, they were
> already trained.

Fortunately there is Free Software available which is similar enough
to what these people are familiar with, so that it is possible to
switch to Free Software without huge re-training expense.

> The person who maintains the machine already knows how to do it, as
> he's been doing it on his home machine for years.

...using procedures which may be acceptable for a home machine
without any really valuable data, but which are not adequate
for maintaining a ministry's mission-critical computer system.

> Almost everyone has a copy of Windows 95 or 98 around someware that
> they aren't using if they have been following the Microsoft upgrade
> treadmill.

Using old software is not a viable option except for those who want
to limit themselves to never connect the internet and never exchange
data with any untrusted third-party.

Sorry, but I can't see how it can possibly be "better stewardship
nowadays" to set up an office in such a way that using email or
a web browser must be avoided because of the security hazard, and all
communication has to be done through more expensive methods such as
telephone and fax!

Greetings, Norbert.

- -- 
Founder & Steering Committee member of DotGNU, see http://dotgnu.org/
Free Software Business Strategy Guide   --->  http://FreeStrategy.info
Norbert Bollow, Weidlistr.18, CH-8624 Gruet (near Zurich, Switzerland)
Tel +41 1 972 20 59         Fax +41 1 972 20 69       http://bollow.ch
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.2.4 (GNU/Linux)

iD8DBQFB15C8oYIVvXUl7DIRAmmXAJ4wQyIvw//qPL/FwUiZbwF4+aT5twCffQTB
woZGTNdMMqXe3ivKmfO5fMM=
=+/c5
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----