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

Thu Feb 12 11:14:20 PST 2009

hey,

Thanks for the comments!!!

Just to continue this discussion a little I have made some points
below...

On Thu, 2009-02-12 at 12:53 -0500, Andy Oram wrote:
> I can understand that you want to focus on one key point: that we
>  should be promoting free software instead of trying to work around
>  licenses. But if you want a general document that lays out a general
>  argument against using unauthorized copies of software (I wouldn't say
>  pirated!), there are lots of other things you could say. I'm sure you
>  know them: risks of viruses, creating a digital divide between
>  students who can afford legal versions and those who can't, closed
>  formats, risk of being sued. I guess the questions (I'm an editor;
>  forgive me; I always think this way) are:

The point is not to promote free software. The point it raise the
awareness of why teaching pirated software is bad for free software.

I am aware that there are many many teachers out there (I know many
myself) that support the principles of free software but then fold their
arms at the thought of teaching it. I think they need to realise that it
is in their power to teach it and what the consequences are of not doing
so.

> 
> 1. How general or specific do you want your article to be?
> 

short and aimed at educators.

> 2. How long should it be--when will your readers tune out?

> 
> There are ways I could help with 2.
> 

any tips welcomed!

adam

> Andy
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: adam hyde <adam at flossmanuals.net>
> To: floss <discuss at lists.flossmanuals.net>
> Sent: Thu, 12 Feb 2009 09:42:47 -0500 (EST)
> Subject: [FM Discuss] why you should stop using pirated software and learn to love	freedom
> 
> 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 
> 
> 
> ----------
> Ever pirated software? Most people I know have done this and felt fine
> about it. Downloading a cracked copy of Photoshop feels ok, or
> installing Windows and looking at a serialz site is something that
> doesn't raise much of an issue to many people. Often the software they
> need is just too expensive, they are used to it or need it or want to
> try it, and can't afford the expensive licensing fee, 
> 
> Students do this a lot - how can a first year design student actually
> afford Adobe Creative Suite? Many can't. Its also true in business,
> although in my experience sooner or later most people in business buy
> the software either out of a sense of moral obligation or fear of being
> caught. 
> 
> So this seems ok. I mean, it seems to be actually tolerated by software
> companies. The film industry might bust a student for illegally
> downloading a movie, but software companies tend to be a little more
> lenient. Why make bad press when you know a student will eventually get
> a job and come good. In fact its great that Universities teach their
> products in the first place. This is how a tool becomes an industry
> standard - so no need to kick up a fuss. Actually, software companies
> can very easily justify the use of unlicensed software used by
> students as a marketing cost. 
> 
> While some might object to the role Universities play in criminalising
> their students and playing the role of out-sourced marketing
> departments for proprietary software companies, thats not the real
> problem. 
> 
> I don't mean that educators are just wrong to assume teaching
> proprietary software gets students jobs. That seems obviously stupid. We all know that teaching a
> tool doesn't make you a good crafts person. Teaching the craft makes
> you a good crafts person. Tools come into it, but tools change,
> especially in any industry that uses software (which is every
> industry). Paradigms shift and industry fashions change. Sometimes a
> dominant player is over-run by a new comer, or, more often, the vendors
> themselves change their own tools either to get you to buy the new
> version, or (less commonly) to make their software better. Nothing is
> stable in software, so knowing software concepts is much more important
> than knowing which tool bar to click. 
> 
> However, while poorly equipping their students for the real world is
> probably pretty high on the list of known sins for educators, I'm not
> an academic, I'm in the Free Software business. When these actions
> effect Free Software I feel the pain more acutely. Its a simple
> product of being normally self absorbed. When pirated software is
> taught I feel the impact more keenly when it directly effects me. 
> 
> My job is partly about promoting the adoption of free software,
> and so when I see pirated software being taught in educational
> institutions I feel obliged to point out that pirated software hurts
> Free Software way more than it hurts Proprietary Software. 
> 
> Pirated software hinders the understanding, acceptance, distribution
> and uptake of Free Software while simultaneously promoting proprietary
> software. Its as simple as that. 
> 
> If you teach pirated software then you are not a supporter of the
> principles and practice of Free Software. This is true whether you run
> Ubuntu on your personal laptop or not.
> 
> Teaching pirated software, while providing a fantastic marketing
> opportunity for proprietary software vendors, criminalising students,
> and poorly equipping them for their craft, is also joining the fight
> against Free Software.
> 
> I would say it actually goes further than that but I was trying to keep
> my arguments less ideologically driven and more pragmatic. I also need
> to ponder it more...something about the fact that teaching pirated
> software puts a price on freedom, and that you do not support the
> principles of libre, if you promote it as secondary to the principles
> of gratis...perhaps for another post...
> 
> adam
> 
> 
> -- 
> Adam Hyde
> Founder FLOSS Manuals
> German mobile : + 49 15 2230 54563
> Email : adam at flossmanuals.net
> 
> "Free manuals for free software"
> http://www.flossmanuals.net/about
> 
> 
> 
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-- 
Adam Hyde
Founder FLOSS Manuals
German mobile : + 49 15 2230 54563
Email : adam at flossmanuals.net

"Free manuals for free software"
http://www.flossmanuals.net/about