[FM Discuss] why you should stop using pirated software and learn to love freedom

[Janet Swisher]

On Thu, Feb 12, 2009 at 8:42 AM, adam hyde <adam at flossmanuals.net> wrote:
> hi,
>
> I was thinking of sending this to a few lists populated by educators
> that support free software (iDC, Rhizome, Fibreculture, nettime
> etc)...comments welcome

If they support free software already, you may be preaching to the
choir. However, members of this audience may be interested in
arguments they can use with their unconverted colleagues, whose
response to this article might be just "so what?". Rather than "don't
teach with pirated software because it hurts free software", an
argument that more closely aligns with their values might be "don't
teach with pirated software because it teaches students to disrespect
intellectual property rights". We might not like all the ways that IP
is currently controlled, but both proprietary and free software
existing within that system.  Knowledge workers (including designers)
make their living based on controlling access to their creative output
-- their intellectual property. If a teacher condones unauthorized
copying of IP, they condone undercutting the basis of the profession
they are teaching.

--Janet