"The biggest question is: Does it even make sense, as a mere student or other
subordinate member of a group, to demand that the whole group change its
habits? It seems futile and arrogant, and disrespectful to others."
Depends on how the issue is framed. We all know why proprietary software is
unethical. If it were solely up to one individual person that *might* be one
thing. Although they should be using free software for their own sake and
that would still deserve a discussion and push to using free software. But:
Programs involving multiple people, like chat software, are even more
insidious because it also pressures other people into using the software in
order to talk to their friends through the "network effect." If you've
already lost one person to proprietary software each additional person's
freedom should be fought for even harder to avoid losing any more.
So TL;DR: Yes this is something that should be done. The "habits" of using
proprietary software are harmful not to just one person using the software
but to other group members as well and so yes - this conversation should
happen about what the problems are with subjugating people and how free
software is the solution.
