[Linux-aus] Why we love Open Source and Free Software

[Robyn M]

On Mon, 29 Jan 2007 11:10:54 +1100
Jeff Waugh <jdub at perkypants.org> wrote:

> <quote who="Donna Benjamin">
> 
> > I don't think linux.org.au should become a generic "about linux"
> > portal, but it definitely needs to explain what linux is for
> > newcomers, as an intro and entry point to invite them into the
> > community, as users, and potential contributors.
> 
> Yeah.
> 
> Perhaps something along the lines of "Why we love Open Source and
> Free Software" [1] would entertainingly represent the tenor and
> passion of our community, rather than having the usual staid
> summary of what it all means.

I love Open Source and Free Software because I can learn from it. If
I make a mistake I can usually undo it instead of having to
re-install my OS. I can use GUI tools and I can see their results in
the configuration files. I can read some of the configuration files
and see comments and examples of how, why or if I should make any
changes to them. I can google for error messages and find mailing
lists etc. where others have had the same problem.

I teach people who are often very new to computers and I don't have
to make excuses for the OS crashing underneath our Word Processing
etc.

I can build my own kernel and in the configuration program there are
comments on the modules like "only leave this one out if you
_really_ know what you're doing. Geek humour is good.

Robyn
 
> Might be fun to get some commentary on this anyway, and figure out
> if it's worth putting on the website later.
> 
> Why do *you* love Open Source and Free Software?
> 
> - Jeff
> 
> [1] *not* "Linux"
> 


-- 
And above all society needs to encourage the spirit of voluntary
cooperation in its citizens. When software owners tell us that
helping our neighbors in a natural way is ``piracy'', they pollute
our society's civic spirit. - RMS