devoz@xenna.UUCP (Joe DeVincentis,EFD TR 75S TR 4S TL 1S TL,2622,7568004) (06/13/89)
From article <11964@netnews.upenn.edu>, by rubinoff@linc.cis.upenn.edu (Robert Rubinoff): > Oh, come on people! Richard Stallman and the rest of the FSF people have > certain ideas about what the legal status of software should be. In order to > advance their ideas, they distribute gnu software under certain conditions. If > you don't like their ideas or their conditions, don't use the software. That's > all there is to it. > > Robert I think all of us software "programmers/engineers" should evaluate our position on GNU software. Do you agree with the manifesto? Have you read it? Do you believe that you should make less money? Do you think software should be free? Do you feel that the results of your efforts should be given away? Do you think that all carpenters should build houses for free, then only make money maintaining them? What about "famous" carpenters? Do you think that rms perhaps makes more money consulting than he would if he were not so well known for his association with FSF? 1) Why do you use/support GNU software >A: I like them. 2) Do you think software should be free. >A: Not unless the authors want it that way. 3) Do you want your salary to be lowered? >A: No. I am a software engineer. I chose the profession for a number of reasons. I am not a programmer because I feel some particular drive to program. I am also not rich. I did not become a programmer to be rich. Here are some really interesting quotes from the manifesto; What do you think of them? "The fundamental act of friendship among programmers is the sharing of programs; marketing arrangements mow typically used essentially forbid programmers to treat others as friends". [Me] I find it kind of disturbing that Richard tells me what a fundamental act of friendship is among programmers. Also, marketing arrangements don't forbid programmers to share programs. Simply forbids them from shareing programs illegally. I.E. those that they do not own. Be serious too, it has nothing to do with keeping us from treating each other as friends. "By working on and using GNU rather than proprietary programs, we can be hospitable to everyone and obey the law. In addition, GNU serves as an example to inspire and a banner to rally others to join us in sharing. This can give us a feeling of harmony which is impossible if we use software that is not free. For about half the programmers I talk to, this is an important happiness that money cannot replace." [me]. By working on GNU, we are supporting the FSF, who seem to have political intentions that may not be ours. I suspect that Dave Berry, who was following the manifesto, now feels that you did not treat him very hospitably, and I totally agree. "There is no shortage of professional musicians who keep at it even though they have no hope of making a living". [me] This is another relevant fact huh? "Won't programmers starve? I could answer that nobody is forced to be a programmer. Most of us cannot manage to get any money for standing on the street and making faces. But we are not, as a result, condemned to spend our lives standing on the street making faces, and starving. We do something else." [ME HERE. The answer to the problem of the homeless! Call ABC Nightline, 20/20! Tell the homeless to do something else? Why couldn't anyone else think of this. I can see it now, a whole generation of homeless software engineers. Wonderful. Walk up to one of them and offer them GNU emacs. I bet that would be fun.] "In the long run, making programs free is a step toward the post-scarcity world, where nobody will have to work very hard just to make a living. People will be free to devote themselves to activities that are fun, such as programming, after spending the necessary ten hours a week on required tasks such as legislation, family conseling, robot repair and asteroid prospecting. There will be no need to be able to make a living from programming." This is another example that leads ME to believe that the manifesto is simplified, unrealistic thinking. I wonder just what connection to the real world the FSF can claim. devoz Remember. These are not the opinions of my employer. If I was an employer, they would still be my opinions. Opinion mileage estimates will vary in actual argument conditions.