On Sun, Jun 7, 2009 at 7:51 PM, Arne Babenhauserheide<arne_bab at web.de> wrote: > On Saturday, 6. June 2009 00:43:12 Ian Clarke wrote: >> >> Is it free? (I couldn't get that information from my first glance on the >> >> site) >> > >> > No. :| >> >> Yes it is, its free for open source projects, see >> http://sera.lighthouseapp.com/plans > > That's gratis but not libre, so it isn't free. Matthew got that quite right.
In English "free" has both meanings, so it is "free". > Making a sensitive project dependent on unfree software is just reckless. No it isn't. I like open source software, but I'm not an absolutist, I'm a pragmatist. Nowhere in Freenet's mission statement does it say that it is a responsibility of the project to only use open source tools. If a non-open source piece of software helps us do a better job of producing a piece of software which does meet Freenet's stated goals, then it would be a violation of those stated goals not to use it. > We have no legal leverage which couldn't be taken away in a blink. We don't need legal leverage. The worst case scenario is merely an inconvenience for us, and even then it is very unlikely to happen. > And no matter how nice these people are, do you trust their strengths of > principles not to stab our back when they get threatened, if their principles > aren't even strong enough to make their project free software? What if it isn't that their principles aren't strong, perhaps they simply don't agree with your principles? I run a company that produces non-open source software. I do-so because its the only way for the company to be financially viable, if my business plan was to open source the software then the software simply wouldn't exist, because it wouldn't be financially viable to create it. Would the world be a better place without the software I've created, even if that software isn't open source? I don't think so. I suggest you re-read the Freenet mission statement, here it is for your convenience - note that it says nothing that would limit us to use of open source software: "The specific purpose of this corporation is to assist in developing and disseminating technological solutions to further the open and democratic distribution of information over the Internet or its successor electronic communication networks or organizations. It is also the purpose of this organization to guarantee consenting individuals the free, unmediated, and unimpeded reception and impartation of all intellectual, scientific, literary, social, artistic, creative, human rights, and cultural expressions, opinions and ideas without interference or limitation by or service to state, private, or special interests. It is also the purpose of this organization to educate the world community and be an advocate of these purposes." Ian. -- Ian Clarke CEO, Uprizer Labs Email: ian at uprizer.com Ph: +1 512 422 3588 Fax: +1 512 276 6674
