[CS-FSLUG] Sydney Morning Herald: Cuba to Dump Windows for Linux

[Ed Hurst]

Don Parris wrote:

> Why do you assume it's a loss?

[snip]

> If we buy Stallman's notion that greed drove the proprietary movement in its
> beginnings - and the evidence for that seems overwhelming - then the
> response of every Christian (in my opinion) ought to be to shudder.  To me,
> libre software is an exercise in grace and the freedom that entails applied
> specifically to technology.

Whether by intent or by accident, the libre software model most closely
approximates the ministry itself. Preachers may at times use various
kinds of leverage to get the bills paid (threatening to resign, etc.)
but in the end, it's an act of God to get paid. If the recipients of the
ministry won't pony up, they won't be blessed in the long run. The
minister simply has to rely on God to move the hearts of those in the
field to share.

The economic model of the Kingdom works that way. We cannot possibly
ration the use of ministry nor of software in any way that can be called
"effective" by human standards. As Don shows, once a book is published
and a single reader has a copy, the gates are open on written works,
too. The root of franchise is controlled access. Information does not
lend itself well to that, since books and code are not consumed by use.

-- 
Ed Hurst
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