Free Software Does Matter
Asunción, Paraguay - When I first saw the editorial by Timothy R. Butler,
“The Inconsequentiality of Open Source,” I read it slowly, and
pondered about the point so well made by him. Tim was, and still is,
dead on right. I congratulated him publicly, and I have no reasons to
withdraw my commendation to Tim for his excellent article. Yet,
somehow I felt uneasy about the ideas expressed, and not in the sense
of them being wrong, but there was the lingering feeling that
something else needed to be said in order to round out Tim's point.
Finally, and after much thinking about it, I came out with some
thoughts that maybe I can share and use them for complementing Tim's
ideas.
Tim said:
Reflecting on [9/11 events] however, I wonder why anyone - why I -
waste time on such trivial things [such as arguing what package is best in a
particular genre]. Who cares if I get the last word on why I think one
distribution is better than another one? If I knew I was going to
collide into a Pennsylvania plain tomorrow, would I spend my time
doing that still? Most likely not.
Tim here has a point, and an important one. When one has to face
questions of life and death, and seek what is really important and
transcendental; in short, when one has to make out the real worth of
one's life, most of the questions debated by the OfB.biz or GNU/Linux
communities seem absurdly petty and bizantine beyond redemption.
However, not everything is as it seems. Right, a lot of our pursuits
fade in comparison to what was reminded to us on last year's September
11. What can be so important as to take a place among the sorrow of
lost lives, the awe for the grace and peace amidst the tears, the
outrage and the cry for justice of the victims, and the unbelievable
heroism of both public servants and private citizens?
As petty and irrelevant as they might seem, the questions mentioned
by Tim, I contend, are yet important. Even, I mean, very
important. Whether GNOME or KDE is better - well, you know, of course
KDE is better
- or whether Rik van Riel's or Andrea Arcangeli's 2.4
VM is the best one, or whether Linus Torvalds was right in using
BitKeeper as a developing tool for Linux, all these are important
questions because their importance is derived from the milieu in which
they were asked.
These questions have their importance because they sprang from
something absolutely fundamental to mankind, something that moved
countless revolutions, wars and reforms; something that moved the
oppressed to revolt, and the compassionate to fight alongside the less
favored: The pursuit of human freedom. This is, because all
these seemingly petty questions do occur in the context of the open,
free and unhindered development of Free Software, and they embody the
essential human drive for a freedom that is ultimate in extent and
meaningful in its value.
Yes, is a fight for freedom; it might seem irrelevant in the face
of Sept. 11, but this fight and what made these debates to spring has
given countless poor communities across the world tools for progress
and achievement. What produced these debates also provided a chance
for equality, success and excellence to many people who otherwise
wouldn't have any. This effort has given tools for the education of
the young, bridges to the world for those less enabled, means of
expression for those who are inspired and want to share their message
with others, software that is good on old computers for those who
can't afford a new one. This is a fight for freedom from proprietary
hindrances, form corporate dictatorship, from economic oppression, and
-most immediately and most meaningfully now, perhaps - from the
mobsters and racketeers of the Business
Software Alliance (BSA). And, most remarkably, whatever is given
by this fight, is given cheerfully, without demanding anything in
return.
Free Software is one of the key subversive phenomenons of our time,
empowering and enabling those who otherwise wouldn't have any
opportunity. The development of Free Software, and the endless
flamewars or debates that usually are its collateral manifestations,
therefore, are helping countless individuals and communities across
the globe to express themselves, to be free from oppression,
racketeering and extortion, to further their interests in the way they
see fit, and to realize their wildest dreams in a way that is
impossible with the old world of proprietary software and corporate
racketeering.
FSF executive director and vice-president Bradley Kuhn remarked to
me once that he was utterly convinced that Free Software is a
milestone in the history of computing. I have to agree, and myself,
being not only a Free Software user but also a native of the Third
World and a committed Christian, can see in Free Software something of
grace, and something that helps, albeit indirectly, to realize what we
all Christians know to be the
chief end of man. Yes, Tim; if I knew that I would lose my life
tomorrow, I would continue helping the Free Software cause, because
Free Software matters.
Eduardo Sánchez is a contributing editor to Open for Business. He is
Professor of Theology at the United Theological Seminary of Paraguay. He was
born at and resides in Asunción, Paraguay, South America. Eduardo is doing
postgraduate studies in philosophical theology at Calvin Theological
Seminary, Grand Rapids, MI., is a member of a local LUG, and helps in
translating KDE into Spanish. He enjoys reading and listening to classical
music, particularly sacred music of the 16th century.