[Linux-aus] Young Aussies say pirated software is OK

[James Purser]

On Sun, 2009-02-08 at 11:21 +1100, Anestis Kozakis wrote:
> 
> To me this is splitting hairs.

That's like saying the difference between the ground and the air is
splitting hairs.
> 
> All I said was that AVG is free software.  i never said anything 
> about Open versus Closed software.  AVG is free to download and free 
> to use, it is just closed software.

Thus is it not Free by the definition of many people on this list. It
may cost nothing to download and use, however you cannot look at the
code and improve it for your own needs.

> Regardless of that, you're taking the main point of my post away. 
> So let me amend this - There are people out there who have been 
> burned by badly written free software and/or freeware.  They are very 
> biased against free software/freeware.  These are the kinds of people 
> we also need to educate that there is good free software/freeware out 
> there that doesn't screw up your computer.

Okay first off, there are those with a bias against Free (as in freedom
not cost) software for whom no amount of education will prove
sufficient. They view it as sub standard for whatever reason and that's
that. Secondly, I personally am not about forcing a choice onto someone
who doesn't want it. While I use FOSS and in fact base my living off it,
if someone else wants to use Windows and AVG then that's their choice. 

Our job is not to ram things down peoples throats, rather it is to
inform people of the fact that there are viable alternatives available
for them to try. If someone expresses a definite reluctance to
contenance FOSS then move on, cos yelling at them isn't going to make
them change their minds.
-- 
James Purser
http://collaborynth.com.au
Mob: 0406 576 553
Phone: 02 8210 6725
Skype: purserj1977