Programming Forums > Community Forums > Coder's Corner Lounge

a thing · May 14th, 2006, 11:11 PM

What are your thoughts on free software? I think it's no doubt the right thing.

ReggaetonKing · May 14th, 2006, 11:32 PM

You've just made a thread based on people's thoughts on free software, meanwhile you have a discussion still in the Open Source thread where we had a disargreement.

Yay and Nay, thus I didnt vote b/c that option was there.

jayme · May 15th, 2006, 12:12 AM

I don't pay for software even if it is being sold. I'll just get it from a friend, I'll rarely download off a bittorrent site due to me not having a virus protection program and those trojan binders can easily sneak up on me. I don't need an antivirus though because I don't download things unless it's a big company product, like windows media player and things like that.

a thing · May 15th, 2006, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayme

I don't pay for software even if it is being sold. I'll just get it from a friend, I'll rarely download off a bittorrent site due to me not having a virus protection program and those trojan binders can easily sneak up on me. I don't need an antivirus though because I don't download things unless it's a big company product, like windows media player and things like that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by poll question

What do you think about free software as defined by the Free Software Foundation?

Stupid vB not counting quotes for the minimum length...

jayme · May 15th, 2006, 12:19 AM

I'm all for free software, that way I don't have to worry about missing out on programs that I might want, without having to download a virus in order to get it. Free software all the way, WOO!

Libervisco · May 15th, 2006, 12:24 AM

"Free Software" is not a completely same thing as "Open Source" as they are completely differen philosophies even if software in question often fits both descriptions and can therefore be called both "Open Source" and "Free Software" depending on which philosophy you believe in.

By saying that he is against "Open Source" in an Open Source poll thread, a_thing basically alienated himself from the Open Source philosophy which didn't necessarily mean he is against Free Software, thus him using Fedora Core.

Open Source philosophy is merely about better software and that is the sole reason why they advocate access to the source code as well as free sharing - because they think better software is made that way.

"Free Software" philosophy is however something entirely different. It is about ethical and moral principles applied to the realm of computer software, about freedom to cooperate rather than merely good quality software. Free Software too promotes access to the source code and free sharing of both modified and unmodified versions, but not because they think that makes better software, but because they think everyone has a right to this access and this sharing. It might as well be that excercising such rights, therefore cooperating, indeed does bring about better quality software, but that is not *the* point of Free Software. It is merely one of the possible consequences that actually may prove that upholding these ethical principles is actually a good thing for everyone.

That's just it, the basic difference that makes these two distinctly different.

I vote for yay, because I believe I should be free to cooperate in a networked world, and that wont be possible without Free Software.

Thanks
Daniel

ReggaetonKing · May 15th, 2006, 12:33 AM

@:Libervisco -
I know this. Please re-read my post. I said we had a disargreement in the open source thread about free software. I know many users hear end up talking about C# in a C thread, does that mean I should go there and say C is not C#?

Libervisco · May 15th, 2006, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reggaeton_king

I know many users hear end up talking about C# in a C thread, does that mean I should go there and say C is not C#?

Actually, yes, you should, but I have a feeling that's not exactly what you meant.. In any case I do think it is better to explain the differences rather than keep people in ongoing confusion as to what it in reality is.

I had a feeling people in that thread thought a_thing was against FLOSS in a whole, if they didn't understand the difference..

a thing · May 15th, 2006, 5:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reggaeton_king

I said we had a disargreement in the open source thread about free software.

We had a disagreement in the open source thread about open source and just open source, not free software.

msk420 · May 15th, 2006, 6:25 PM

Open source and Free software in my opinion are two different things. Open source is the source code so you can edit and modify it to make it better. Free software is free available to be downloaded for example theGIMP, this is a free software program for editing images. Free software is a good thing if you dont know how to program but still some programs that are free make my job easier as a programmer.

View Poll Results: What do you think about free software as defined by the Free Software Foundation?
yay	16	94.12%
nay	1	5.88%
Voters: 17. You may not vote on this poll

May 14th, 2006, 11:11 PM	#1
a thing Unverified User Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: none Posts: 146 Rep Power: 0	free software What are your thoughts on free software? I think it's no doubt the right thing. __________________ Warning: My posts may change (dramatically) within the first 15 minutes they're posted. Got 'Nux?�GNU/Linux and other free software support. It's GNU/Linux, not just Linux.

May 14th, 2006, 11:32 PM	#2
ReggaetonKing Sexy Programmer Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 891 Rep Power: 4	You've just made a thread based on people's thoughts on free software, meanwhile you have a discussion still in the Open Source thread where we had a disargreement. Yay and Nay, thus I didnt vote b/c that option was there. __________________ I would love to change the world, but they won't give me the source code!

May 15th, 2006, 12:24 AM	#6
Libervisco Newbie Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Croatia Posts: 18 Rep Power: 0	"Free Software" is not a completely same thing as "Open Source" as they are completely differen philosophies even if software in question often fits both descriptions and can therefore be called both "Open Source" and "Free Software" depending on which philosophy you believe in. By saying that he is against "Open Source" in an Open Source poll thread, a_thing basically alienated himself from the Open Source philosophy which didn't necessarily mean he is against Free Software, thus him using Fedora Core. Open Source philosophy is merely about better software and that is the sole reason why they advocate access to the source code as well as free sharing - because they think better software is made that way. "Free Software" philosophy is however something entirely different. It is about ethical and moral principles applied to the realm of computer software, about freedom to cooperate rather than merely good quality software. Free Software too promotes access to the source code and free sharing of both modified and unmodified versions, but not because they think that makes better software, but because they think everyone has a right to this access and this sharing. It might as well be that excercising such rights, therefore cooperating, indeed does bring about better quality software, but that is not the point of Free Software. It is merely one of the possible consequences that actually may prove that upholding these ethical principles is actually a good thing for everyone. That's just it, the basic difference that makes these two distinctly different. I vote for yay, because I believe I should be free to cooperate in a networked world, and that wont be possible without Free Software. Thanks Daniel __________________ Libervis.com - Nexus of the free world online_

May 15th, 2006, 12:33 AM	#7
ReggaetonKing Sexy Programmer Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 891 Rep Power: 4	@:Libervisco - I know this. Please re-read my post. I said we had a disargreement in the open source thread about free software. I know many users hear end up talking about C# in a C thread, does that mean I should go there and say C is not C#? __________________ I would love to change the world, but they won't give me the source code!

May 15th, 2006, 6:25 PM	#10
msk420 Programmer Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 85 Rep Power: 3	Open source and Free software in my opinion are two different things. Open source is the source code so you can edit and modify it to make it better. Free software is free available to be downloaded for example theGIMP, this is a free software program for editing images. Free software is a good thing if you dont know how to program but still some programs that are free make my job easier as a programmer. __________________ Code Forums

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode