On 26/01/07, Richard Boehme <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
The point I bring from this is that if, for instance, TomTom has
mapping software that I want to use, I shouldn't have to jump through
hoops to get it. I should just be able to go into the market place, go
to 'Non-Free Software', and buy the TomTom app.
Your argument may be 'but every software for the phone really should
be free - people will write it'. However, if someone hasn't come up
with an absolutely free, modifiable mapping software, I should just be
able to get the proprietary, closed version. It should be easier to do
that than to look in the marketplace, conclude 'oh, this doesn't
exist', and not get an OpenMoko phone because of it.
You are expanding "free" to "free to give up your freedom", which
destroys the meaning of "freedom" with something like a Russell
paradox.
If you feel allowing proprietary, closed software in hurts the 'free
your phone' spirit, and the market place is closed to them, it only
hurts the amount of applications available for the phone.
The amount of applications available for the phone is not the goal;
the goal is to have a 100% free software phone.
I'm going to write a finance application for OpenMoko. Is it going to
be free and open source? Yes.
That is great news, and congratulations on your choice! :-) If you
hope some day to look back on your career and feel that it has
contributed to the growth of a good and free society, you need to make
your software free.
However, if I were trying to live off of
it, it would be very hard to make it free and open source. Even in
areas such as being a waiter where tips are expected and there is a
known steady stream of customers giving tips, tips alone aren't
sufficient.
You can also charge for specific improvements, and for support, and
many people have earned a living from free software in this way.
--
Regards,
Dave
_______________________________________________
OpenMoko community mailing list
[email protected]
https://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community
