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Re: [ProgSoc] What IS 0EM Software And Why D0 You Care?



On 8/31/07, Andrew Halliday <andrew.halliday@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On 8/31/07, John Elliot <jj5@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> > What is Free Software and why do *you* care?
>
> FOSS should just be called OSS because it is not free. You have to either
> have the skills to setup/maintain a FOSS system (which incurs the cost of
> your time for self-education or the cost of formal education) or you have to
> invest in human capital of people who have those skills to administer your
> systems.
>
> When a Grandma with no computer experience can sit down and install OSS on
> her Lappy 486 (e.g. edgarware) without needing help; then I feel we can call
> it free.
>  That said, what is 'free'? As free in my opinion is never without cost.

Then using, say, Windows, you are paying twice - once with money, and
once with the time needed to learn the skills to set it up and
maintain it (or paying someone to do this).

In any case, free in this case refers to 'free as in speech' blah blah
blah; I'll assume you're either trolling or not acquainted with the
doctrines of Richard Stallman.

vik

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