On Thursday 28 September 2006 16:32, "Bob Young" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote about 'RE: [gentoo-amd64] Re: How To Play WMV (thread drift - slaveryware)': > > -----Original Message----- > > From: news [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Duncan > > "Bob Young" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> posted > > [EMAIL PROTECTED], excerpted below, > > on > > Thu, 28 Sep 2006 11:16:29 -0700: > That's not freedom, they are still completely dependent on the mechanic > they take the car to.
No, they aren't. They can use another mechanic. Instead of having to consult *one particular entity* they can consult *any entity of a particular class*. They gain a choice, which means they have more freedom. If you still aren't convinced ask yourself which is more free: being able to stand on only *one particular* square meter of public property or being able to stand on *any* square meter (and, of course, being able to change your choice each time you choose to stand). > I agree, and that is a perfectly valid argument (faster porting), as one > of the merits of open source. However, it doesn't actually provide any > greater *freedom* to most end users. It most certainly does. No matter how many resources I give my local programmer's co-op, they can't port Macromedia's Flash application to 64-linux the source [and an appropriate licence] from Macromedia. (They might [subject to software patentes] be able to provide a replacement.) However, I can take any piece for free software and, without consultation or aid from the copyright holders, have my local programmer's co-op port it to a new architecture. There may be significant resource outlay, but it is at least possible. With non-free software, you are (at best) on the wrong end of a monopoly position. -- "If there's one thing we've established over the years, it's that the vast majority of our users don't have the slightest clue what's best for them in terms of package stability." -- Gentoo Developer Ciaran McCreesh
pgp1cT1FNN8q5.pgp
Description: PGP signature
