Understanding Free Software v/s Proprietary Software with an Analogy !!<http://parin-sharma.blogspot.com/2010/02/understanding-free-software-vs.html> FOSS is always on my mind so around a week back after reading Philosophy of Free SW http://bit.ly/FreeSW an analogy to types of 'Home' came to my mind which is as follows:
Using Proprietary Software is like living in a home taken on Rent while Free Software is like having your own home. How/Why?? -> With Prop. Software we are just buying licenses not the actual software i.e. we actually don't own it......we just buy Licences which take our Freedom....and some XYZ company owns it........ Similar to Rented home in which we have Landlord owner of that home with whom an agreement is made!! while In case of our Free S/W it our Home Sweet Home coz we own it!! -> Prop. Software we can't remix , change it our way or use it according to us and cannot even fix it ( making us dependent on Prop. SW Vendor ) similar to a Rented home's case in which we have to call/ask your Landlord for anything you want to get done/fixed in our home and then wait for their approval to get it Fixed ( even if the a tap is bleeding ) !! Free SW gives all Freedom to use, to chose, to fix , to do anything with our software so you own it in real sense !! -> Prop. Software come with a Expiry tag (Trials) / Renewal something like an agreement of 11 months or so (In Delhi) done for Rented home.........which needs to be Renewed again and again (obviously with newer/heavier prices)......... On the other hand Free SW or our own home has got no such limitations it has got Freedom and pure Freedom ! PS: Well in the Real World the reason we buy things on Rent is mainly the Cost Factor (in terms of Money) but in SW world its just the opposite you are buying Prop. SW ( Rented home ) with much higher prices than Free SW(own Home) now does that sound Logical from any Angle hm?? I don't think so............ I just can't imagine Why we pay Proprietary SW Vendors such big amounts to jeopardise our Freedom !! So will you still use SW of Proprietary SW Vendors like Microsoft,Apple,Oracle etc. which take our FREEDOM and cost you much more !! Double LOSS ?! and with FOSS no LOSS (both in terms of Money and Freedom) !! Now the choice is all yours !! Well if you never knew anything about Free SW it was ok to use XYZ (even I did a year back) but when you about it, All I will say is Respect your Freedom !! Original Post at: http://bit.ly/9S5I7P Parin Sharma http://twitter.com/FOSSmaniac -- l...@iitd - http://tinyurl.com/ycueutm
