Written in a survey about attitudes towards free software.
it isn't immoral (moral = what's the current stance of mainstream society), but it is unethical.
In a society where people are used to being forbidden to give bread to a starving child, giving bread you'd otherwise throw away to that child instead could well be immoral.
So only software which allows you to act ethically is ethical - and that's free software. Even better is free software under strong copyleft licenses like the GPL, because that protects our right to act ethically for any future versions of the software.
No.
Legitimate doesn't mean "not contrary to existing law". Even in countries where the police is allowed to torture people, torture is illegitimate. At least that's my understanding. It means that something is wrong and should be forbidden.
I believe that people have the right to make unfree software (people also have the right to do tv-shows like "popstars"). I don't think anyone should use that software, though.
I can't force people to adher to my ethics without acting against my ethics myself. But I can try to convince tham that my understanding of ethics is right.
In many cases yes. But it depends on the case,
If I had to develop unfree software to earn enough to live a more or less comforting life, I'd likely choose to do so. That's why I fight now, so I can earn money ethically right later on. Or at least enable my children to do so (more detailed in german).
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ethical issue?
Stallman sees it as an ethical issue. Maby he is ultimately right. I simply don't know.
He's right that sharing is a good thing.
But is it really an ethical issue whether or not you get some recipe, construction plans or source-code??
Source code and ethics
To me, the answer for all 4 questions is yes.
In the case of software this hits hardest, because the software controls my actions directly. But the same goes for everything else which is good enough that it becomes part of my life.
If I don’t want to miss it, I want to have the sources. Otherwise it can restrict my actions.
That logic also means that I want the legal right to use and change these sources. So if it is good enough to become part of my life, it has to be free licensed.
Sadly this is not yet the case for all goods I use (and I feel those shackles). But a free Operating System is a good start.
Best wishes,
Arne
Unpolitisch sein
heißt politisch sein
ohne es zu merken
- Arne Babenhauserheide