Did anyone else go to the Robert Chassell talk at Glasgow Uni?
I was interested in his ideas about the 'immorality' of software being
closed-source and the implications of that statement (I was the chap who
asked whether he thought it was possible to make a living as a software
*writer* as opposed to selling software *support*).
Anybody out there with any thoughts on his ideas?
Steve
> >Date: Thursday, May 3rd, 2001
> >Time: 2pm -> around 3.30pm
> >Place: Glasgow University, Boyd Orr Lecture Room B (aka 412)
> >
> >
> >Robert J. Chassell will talk on the subject of
> >
> > Free software: freedom to study, work, and manufacture
> > ======================================================
> >
> >What makes software free? What brings freedom to people who use and
> >work with software? Chassell will discuss these topics and why
> >freedom leads to software that is more reliable, efficient, and secure
> >than the alternatives.
> >
> >Following this introduction, Chassell will consider the legal and
> >institutional framework that is needed necessary to preserve freedom.
> >He will contrast differing differing dispute resolution techniques in
> >the ancient Roman and the equally ancient Chinese Han empires, and
> >their consequences on freedom today.
> >
> > From ancient history, Chassell will proceed into a more detailed
> >discussion of the rights and duty associated with free software. He
> >will explain the `evolutionarily stable strategy' that favors one
> >license over others.
> >
> >Freedom benefits businessmen and their customers, schools and
> >universities. More importantly, freedom for software brings valuable
> >ethical consequences: sharing, empowerment, and good governance.
> >
> >Chassell, who was originally trained as an economist, will relate
> >these consequences of freedom to the operations of a competitive, free
> >market.
> >
> >For a change of pace, Chassell will then make a quick digression onto
> >the various meanings of the word `free' in English: two of which in
> >Spanish are `gratis' and `libre'.
> >
> >This will be followed by a discussion of contemporary history: how did
> >free software come about? Chassell was a part of the beginning.
> >
> >In his penultimate remarks, Chassell will a return to schools and
> >universities: what do young men shout when they are forbidden to
> >study?
> >
> >Finally, presuming that many young men and women finish university and
> >join businesses, he will finish with a more detailed discussion of the
> >advantages of freedom to businesses, and how to make a living with
> >free software.
<bits cut>
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Steve Logan [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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