[Liverpool] Why do you use Open Source software?

[Richard Smedley]

On Sun, 2004-10-31 at 23:51, David Watson wrote:
> As a blatant attempt to get people on this list talking, I have some
> questions.

Fire away...

> Why are you using Open Source software?

Hello all,

I use Free Software because it is free to use, share, improve
and give back improvements. These four freedoms recognise that 
software is like any other field of scientific endeavour - 
built on shared foundations for the good of everyone (well,
everyone who uses software - but the whole population is
now dependent upon software in so many ways).


I'm not sure about Open Source per se, a lot of software
under that banner seems to come with impossible restrictions
on its redistribution and use :-(

Of course it's up to the writer what sort of licence she
gives her software, but it seems a shame that in the late
1990s the Free Software movement was diluted by Netscape.
Peren's and Raymond's search for a business-friendly
soubriquet, which led to much confusion in the community :-(

> Which OS do you use, and why?

Mostly Debian GNU/Linux. I've used a variety of other
GNUs with Linux and Hurd at their heart, but as a particularly
lazy person, I always come back to the ease and simplicity 
of Debian.
I also use the BSD trinity where appropriate, and FreeDOS
on some of my laptops.

I've tried Atheos in the past, and it did seem to have
potential.

> Do you contribute to Open Source projects, either with code,
> documentation, or bug reports? 

I think the answer to all three is yes, but in an
insignificantly small way.

Most of my current contribution is trying to promote
Free Software use through the Association For Free
Software, and various other tasks.

On Saturday I'll be at the Infopoint at Bowlers.

Infopoints are stalls at computer markets (donated once 
per month by Northern Computer Markets), available to promote
Free Software. Usually involving demo-ing the stuff,
and giving away CDs of GNU/Linux and of Free Software
for the MS Windows platform, such as OOo and Mozilla.

Bowlers, in Manchester, is Europe's largest computer fair
- just the place to go if you want a dual-layer DVD recorder
for forty quid, or a laptop for fifty :-)

 - Richard

-- 
Promote Free Software development and use in the UK:
http://www.affs.org.uk/