Re: School encouraging non-free software

[Thien-Thi Nguyen]

Zen Lunatic <lunaticster@gmail.com> writes:

> You see living ethically pure almost renders one non-functional in
> todays society, and that's not even including using cell phones and
> personal computers; rather its the simple things.

purity as a concept is best applied to materials, solids, gases or
liquids composed largely of one compound w/ "trace amounts" of other.
the lower the trace amounts, the more "pure" the material.

while it is entertaining to make metaphor of one's choices and actions
in life w/ this concept, it is not perfectly applicable; playing w/ the
metaphor does not advance understanding of reality in this case: what is
done cannot be undone.  the only way to "purify" the past is to choose
ignorance of it.  there is no way to "purify" the future.

> The question of whether all software should be free is really what I'm
> getting at. Also how does the FSF define "use" of software. Are the
> situations described above "use"?

what do you mean to "get at" a question?  how do you "get at" it?  when
you have finished "getting at" the question, what happens to it?  to you?

thi