7 - Why software should be free - Stallman

Question 1

What is the difference between proprietary software and OSS according to Stallman?
What are the problems of this definition?

Answer 1

First made to maximize developer profit, second made to maximize public prosperity & freedom
PROBL: public prosperity can be ideal also for proprietary software (concept of right reward for job)

Question 2

Which are the main assumptions under which Stallman articulates his arguments?

Answer 2

1. Equality of importance between users, developers and owners
2. Free not referred to price, but to use

Question 3

Which are common justifications for proprietary software according to Stallman?
What are the problems with this argumentation?

Answer 3

1. Emotional attachment
2. Economic: linked to ownership just because of current regulations
   PROBL:
3. (already highlighted by Stallman himself) not really meaningful (nobody actually use it => why put it as “common” one?)
4. While many projects live of offers, biggest ones not crowdfunded, but sustained by huge companies (dimension of project quite correlated with resources & level of organization needed.
   ALSO current economic regulation embedded in society => not so easy to disregard that aspect

Question 4

Which are common arguments against proprietary software according to Stallman?
What are the problems with these argumentations?

Answer 4

MAIN: interfere with use, waste (some) material value, cause (unbounded) psychosocial harm (PH = combined influence of psychological factors and surrounding social environment)

1. Fewer users: if users choose to pay no losers (zero-sum exchange: product-payment), if users choose not to pay (& not use) only losers (company doesn’t sell, user doesn’t use)
2. Damage social cohesion: conflict (PH) between freely sharing product (help others/society) and support use only after payment (follow rules)
3. Limit custom adaptation: due to source code only way for users to mod program (eg: Xerox MIT printer), causes frustration (PH) because of no possibility of adaptation of code to necessities, owner only modder allowed (=> higher fees + disregard of smaller mods)
4. Limit SW development: prevent students to learn techniques/structure of large programs (“standing on shoulders of [own company’s] giants”), limit cooperation inside companies (PH)
   NB: not important HOW use is restricted, just IF

PROBL:
1. Fact that users decide not to pay is part of free market and indicate a product not worth their expenses (it is part of the game)
2. Weak argumentation: help others in other ways, make discover a product (even if paid) can still be help
3. Good argumentation, BUT freedom of modding could result in weaker systems (modded by inexperienced users)
4. Usually those techniques not useful for basic students (ie majority), instead represent cutting edge feature (ie competitiveness source for companies)

Question 5

Which are arguments in favor of free software according to Stallman?
What are the problems with these argumentations?

Answer 5

1. Less software produced, BUT more useful
2. Lower salaries, BUT possibility of selling related services
3. Solution of conflict between HAVING to pay (imposition) and WANTING to support (desire)
4. Improved SW productivity (clearly not for individual projects, but overall one): wider use, more possibilities of adaptation, better programmers’ education, elimination of duplicates

PROBL:
1. Less SW means less projects, ie less problems to be addressed and less perspectives
2. Lower salaries means increase the difficulties to make change possible (and it is already radical change)
3. Good argumentation, BUT corresponding approach doesn’t need to be applied in every situation
4. Good argumentation, BUT disregard singular productivity, ie many (potentially interesting) projects dead at birth (not enough initial resources)

Question 6

How free software should be encouraged according to Stallman?
What are the problems with this argumentation?

Answer 6

1. Institutions and users freely founding it
2. Avoid sabotage of research by students who drop it just before end to make profit out of it

PROBL:
1. Same model can be implemented by companies for minor projects/features (exploit APIs)
2. Problem more related to professional ethics than specific software development model

Question 7

What is the difference between competition and combat?

Answer 7

First based on success of best in field of competition, second based on success of best at cripple others