[CS-FSLUG] The Moral Foundation of Free Software

[Leon Brooks]

On Wednesday 05 January 2005 01:06, Fred A. Miller wrote:
> I don't agree. We all have to eat and pay our bills. A code jockey is
> no different than the rest of us. I support BOTH, FOSS and
> proprietary. There's no reason that they both can't exist side by
> side, just as there's NO VALID reason for MickySoft NOR any other
> company to do business in an immoral manner.

The Bible is a unique blend of socialist and individualist principles. 
My view is that if Freeing the software enables many community members 
to do a little better, where leaving it proprietary only benefits you, 
then by all means Free it. If everyone involved is doing this, then 
everyone involved is working to make your life better. In Real Life, 
very few will be so community-minded, but as long as *enough* people 
are, it doesn't matter. The greedy proprietors will be cut off at the 
knees by the competition, and the non-greedy ones (ie that aren't 
relying their proprietary leverage as a weapon in the marketplace) will 
prosper alongside everyone else. You will be breadwinner by ongoing use 
of your skills, not by chaining an idea in a corner and charging 
admission to see it.

Cheers; Leon

--
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets:
I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
For verily I say unto you,
"Till heaven and earth pass,
one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law,
till all be fulfilled."
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments,
and shall teach men so,
he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven:
but whosoever shall do and teach them,
the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
    -- Matthew 5:17-19, KJV