Re: [hangout] Re: eGovOS conference in D.C.; I'm not attending that

[David Sugar]

I never said freedom is not a competitive advantage.  However, even if it were 
not so, this would not make proprietary software ethically valid; the social 
harm it does is far too great for that.  As it happens, as we found in this 
country, freedom and commercial success certainly do go hand in hand.  Free 
software is in many ways is also an extension of the scientific method and 
principles that have empowered scientific progress in the last few hundred 
years.

In any case, I do happen to strongly agree with your thesis that there is a 
strong connection between free software and free markets, and that freedom is 
an absolute requirement for business and market success.

On Thursday 06 February 2003 17:15, Ruben I Safir wrote:
> The fredom of the software is a competitive advantage, in fact, it should
> be a show stopper for all business consideration.
>
> It's Free Software like in Free Markets
>
> They've heard of Free Markets in Washington?  No?
>
> > That being said, Derek is quite correct that one of my objections to
> > eGovOS is that it lends false credence and legitimacy to the idea that
> > "shared source" is somehow a valid and morally equivilent form of "Open
> > Source" or that there is only a competitve points to consider and
> > distinguish free and propretary software.  Do we conclude that there is a
> > moral equivillence between freedom in western democracies and the old
> > soviet system?
> >
> > On Thursday 06 February 2003 16:38, Derek Neighbors wrote:
> > > David Sugar said:
> > > > I recall that I originally had offered to help with a gnue
> > > > presentation at  eGovOS this year.  For a number of reasons, and
> > > > contrary to previous plans,  after reviewing the circumstances of the
> > > > eGovOS event, I have chosen this  afternoon not to attend this year's
> > > > eGovOS conference in mid-march after all.   I think Derek may well
> > > > guess some of my reasons for making this decision.   Instead, I am
> > > > considering extending my visit to Prague next month by several  mire
> > > > days, especially if it would help enable further discussions with
> > > > their  government and the Czech free software community in promoting
> > > > the development  and adoption of free software in the public sector
> > > > by the Czech national  government.  I may also try to see some of
> > > > thier city.
> > >
> > > I was going to email RMS and what was up with this conference as he at
> > > one time seemed to have a relationship with Tony Stanco, but figured
> > > best to leave well enough alone.
> > >
> > > I fully agree that the event should be boycotted by GNUe and anyone
> > > else that is sick of seeing Free Software slowly being eroded into
> > > "Open Source" software and further watered down to "Shared Source"
> > > software, that negates the whole purpose of being of Free Software to
> > > begin with.
> > >
> > > It is a shame as the conference is a good idea, but sadly I think poor
> > > judgement is being exercised. :(
> > >
> > > -derek
> >
> > ____________________________
> > New Yorker Free Software Users Scene
> > Fair Use -
> > because it's either fair use or useless....