[sclug] Vote for free software

[Neil Brown]

Stuart

The question here, though, is whether positive discrimination actually  
accomplishes anything, or whether it actually serves to show that Free  
software needs some form of "special treatment" before it should be  
considered.

A "Free-only" shortlist would be a retrograde step, in my opinion -  
people should be considering code on its merits and problems, and  
making an assessment. Raising awareness is one thing; forcing people  
to use it is completely different, and is no better than a  
proprietary-only shortlist, in my opinion, and I don't believe that it  
does the Free software movement any favours at all.

An "open standards only" shortlist, is a far more attractive proposition.



Neil


Quoting Stuart Ward <stuart.ward at bcs.org>:

> Neil
>
>> Whilst I can understand the main aim of the document, it goes too far, in my
>> opinion, in promoting Free software over proprietary software - a biased
>> process in favour of open source software is not necessarily better than a
>> process biased against it.
>
> But given the huge bias that exists at the moment towards propitiatory
> software that exists at the moment. I see this as more like women only
> short-list. Trying to redress the balance to a more equatable
> position.
>
> -- Stuart
>