[luau] OpenSourceAdvocates

[Jimen Ching]

On 7 Oct 2002, Warren Togami wrote:
>> Open-source software advocates will unfurl a legislative proposal next
>> week to prohibit the state of California from buying software from
>> Microsoft or any other company that doesn't open its source code and
>> licensing policies.
>> http://news.com.com/2100-1001-949241.html
>
>I disagree, if we advocated for the banning of proprietary software, we
>would be hypocrites to be advocates of free "choice".

I doubt those people are against free choice.  Having choice and having
source code are orthogonal.

>Bruce Perens launched "Sincere Choice" initiative as an alternative to
>Microsoft's "Software Choice" and these "Ban Proprietary Software"
>legislations in California and several foreign countries.
>
>"We seek to provide a fair market in which Proprietary and Open Source
>software can compete solely on their merits."

Are you and Bruce Perens saying free/open source software do not compete
solely on their own merits?

I believe we are talking about government purchased software.  No one is
preventing you (personally) from buying proprietary software.  But if the
government is going to spend my tax dollars, I want to make sure they
spend it on good software.  Also, have you read some of the business
models that RMS suggested?  I believe one of them is government support.

Unless I am mistaken, UH gets some of its funding from the government.
Perhaps the government should reduce UH funding so they can pay Microsoft
more money.  And why should we stop there, we should have another demo day
and advocate that people consider proprietary solutions.  Why should we
limit the choices of our audience?  It's not like they are spending my tax
dollars.

Sorry for the heavy sarcasm.  I just can't believe I am reading this email
on a mailing list that is supposedly advocating free/open source software.

--jc
-- 
Jimen Ching (WH6BRR)      jching at flex.com     wh6brr at uhm.ampr.org