On Wed, 2010-09-15 at 11:57 -0700, bipin kumar wrote: > great now this discussion is fanning out in to a debate of politics.
Yes, of course. Free Software is more about politics than about software. > politics aside i would like to point out that, most people use an app/ > service based on its useablity/functionality and not its licensing Unfortunately, yes. The whole idea of the Free Software movement is to make people realise that they need to worry about the licence. If it was just the usability that people are worried about, then they can simply use Microsoft Windows or Mac. At least, the latter is eminently usable. Then why worry about freedom and things like that? Let us also remember that many people keep away during any freedom movement. In fact, we know that many people joined the other side and gained from it. > conditions. i ve lot of friends who use google video chat and i cant > force them to use some new IM protocols just because i'm using linux. Of course, no one is forcing anyone to use anything. We are just saying that freedom is more important than convenience. Those who understand that join us. Those who value convenience more do not. > bottomline is this, having mainstream apps, proprietary or non > proprietary, available to linux platform will be helpful in increasing > its adoption. The whole point of the Free Software movement is not just to get more people to use GNU/Linux. If Microsoft and other proprietary software companies release their software for GNU/Linux, many people may prefer to use it if they are not concerned about what we are saying - namely, freedom. > now when i am using linux and friends ask "can i use > google talk in linux??" i can say a definite "yes" and maybe down the > line get them interested in trying out linux. Well, that does not make them conscious of the freedom that Free Software gives. They use it simply because of its convenience, and could start using something else tomorrow if they find that more convenient. Best Sasi -- V. Sasi Kumar Free Software Foundation of India http://swatantryam.blogspot.com -- "Freedom is the only law". "Freedom Unplugged" http://www.ilug-tvm.org You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "ilug-tvm" group. To control your subscription visit http://groups.google.co.in/group/ilug-tvm/subscribe To post to this group, send email to ilug-tvm@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to ilug-tvm-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For details visit the google group page: http://groups.google.com/group/ilug-tvm?hl=en
