While digesting lunch, a link: A few weeks ago I briefly pondered my feelings about the morality of Free Software. Ted Leung had an interesting, potentially related post about a completely alternative interpretation of ‘why I do what I do’. Money quote:
So, the next time you hear “open source development”, think “the most economically efficient method for matching resources to construct information products”. The next time you see “XXX Software Foundation”, think “people constructing a software commons (protected by intellectual property laws) that the rest of use can use and extend”.
There is a lot more in the post. It is an interesting perspective- it is certainly the most effective tack for free software in the US to take. I fear, though, that in choosing this rhetorical path[1] we risk losing some momentum in Europe. Anyway, have to run- more later.
[1] not to suggest that it is purely rhetorical for Ted, but I think some others who push the ‘FLOSS is more efficient’ line are doing it more because they want FLOSS to win.