Comments on: The Problem With Being Free http://www.workswithu.com/2008/12/10/the-problem-with-being-free/ WorksWithU is the independent guide to Ubuntu Linux Fri, 30 Jul 2010 04:44:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: wookie http://www.workswithu.com/2008/12/10/the-problem-with-being-free/comment-page-1/#comment-2371 wookie Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:01:08 +0000 http://www.workswithu.com/2008/12/10/the-problem-with-being-free/#comment-2371 It might also be good to point out that there are bright spots in the American system. For instance, Indiana and California have both explored changing their entire educational systems over to using open software both for the decrease in cost and the educational opportunities inherent in the ability to crack open the source code. IBM's virtual Ubuntu desktops have obvious application in the typical computer lab. It might also be good to point out that there are bright spots in the American system. For instance, Indiana and California have both explored changing their entire educational systems over to using open software both for the decrease in cost and the educational opportunities inherent in the ability to crack open the source code. IBM’s virtual Ubuntu desktops have obvious application in the typical computer lab.

]]> By: wookie http://www.workswithu.com/2008/12/10/the-problem-with-being-free/comment-page-1/#comment-2370 wookie Mon, 15 Dec 2008 16:58:51 +0000 http://www.workswithu.com/2008/12/10/the-problem-with-being-free/#comment-2370 Some similar commentary with additional points. http://checkedexception.blogspot.com/2008/12/is-our-educational-system-really-this.html Some similar commentary with additional points.

http://checkedexception.blogspot.com/2008/12/is-our-educational-system-really-this.html

]]> By: aikiwolfie http://www.workswithu.com/2008/12/10/the-problem-with-being-free/comment-page-1/#comment-2347 aikiwolfie Thu, 11 Dec 2008 17:25:40 +0000 http://www.workswithu.com/2008/12/10/the-problem-with-being-free/#comment-2347 Just read the Helios article. Looks like a teacher's about to have a very bad day. I'm assuming she's an American teacher? Just read the Helios article. Looks like a teacher’s about to have a very bad day. I’m assuming she’s an American teacher?

]]> By: Jason V. http://www.workswithu.com/2008/12/10/the-problem-with-being-free/comment-page-1/#comment-2346 Jason V. Thu, 11 Dec 2008 17:11:53 +0000 http://www.workswithu.com/2008/12/10/the-problem-with-being-free/#comment-2346 Sorry to go all philosophical, but I just wrote a course paper on "value" and "price", so it's fresh in my head: As mentioned in the post, there is the tendency in capitalist economies to thing of "value" in terms of a single factor: "price". But if we go back to Aristotle, in his Nicomachean Ethics (Book 5, chapter 5) we can find the genesis of a different way of understanding "value": the differentiation between a qualitative "use-value" and a quantitative "exchange-value". The "use"-fulness of FOSS like Linux is undeniable, despite a price tag / ascribed "exchange-value" of nothing. The FOSS community is built around a system of exchange and trade of "use"-fulness for "use"-fulness - meaning that the usefulness of one's contributions are made available to the community in "exchange" for access to the usefulness of the contributions of others. No middle-man of "exchange-value" (i.e. price, money) is needed, as the community openly shares its creations. Sorry to go all philosophical, but I just wrote a course paper on “value” and “price”, so it’s fresh in my head:

As mentioned in the post, there is the tendency in capitalist economies to thing of “value” in terms of a single factor: “price”. But if we go back to Aristotle, in his Nicomachean Ethics (Book 5, chapter 5) we can find the genesis of a different way of understanding “value”: the differentiation between a qualitative “use-value” and a quantitative “exchange-value”. The “use”-fulness of FOSS like Linux is undeniable, despite a price tag / ascribed “exchange-value” of nothing. The FOSS community is built around a system of exchange and trade of “use”-fulness for “use”-fulness – meaning that the usefulness of one’s contributions are made available to the community in “exchange” for access to the usefulness of the contributions of others. No middle-man of “exchange-value” (i.e. price, money) is needed, as the community openly shares its creations.

]]> By: aikiwolfie http://www.workswithu.com/2008/12/10/the-problem-with-being-free/comment-page-1/#comment-2345 aikiwolfie Thu, 11 Dec 2008 17:10:47 +0000 http://www.workswithu.com/2008/12/10/the-problem-with-being-free/#comment-2345 I'm no Microsoft fan but this has nothing to do with Microsoft. Never at any time can I remember Microsoft saying free equals illegal. In fact Microsoft do give away some software for free. Even if it's just to remain dominant. The problem is the way people are brought up in a capitalist society. Not only are we taught everything has it's price but capitalism breeds automatic distrust and suspicion. Capitalism is based on competition and you just can't compete with free high quality products. Perhaps the school teacher was also anti-socialist.You know the sort of citizen that would never turn down a free voucher for a McDonalds meal and swears the commies should all be nuked in the same breath. And the article in the link is either a hoax or deliberate FUD from a Microsoftie. Not much we can do about that other than flood YouTube with videos of Windows taking an age to load and then crashing to the BSOD. FUD comes in many forms. I’m no Microsoft fan but this has nothing to do with Microsoft. Never at any time can I remember Microsoft saying free equals illegal. In fact Microsoft do give away some software for free. Even if it’s just to remain dominant.

The problem is the way people are brought up in a capitalist society. Not only are we taught everything has it’s price but capitalism breeds automatic distrust and suspicion. Capitalism is based on competition and you just can’t compete with free high quality products.

Perhaps the school teacher was also anti-socialist.You know the sort of citizen that would never turn down a free voucher for a McDonalds meal and swears the commies should all be nuked in the same breath.

And the article in the link is either a hoax or deliberate FUD from a Microsoftie. Not much we can do about that other than flood YouTube with videos of Windows taking an age to load and then crashing to the BSOD. FUD comes in many forms.

]]> By: Dragonbite http://www.workswithu.com/2008/12/10/the-problem-with-being-free/comment-page-1/#comment-2344 Dragonbite Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:57:54 +0000 http://www.workswithu.com/2008/12/10/the-problem-with-being-free/#comment-2344 One piece in her defense. Isn't it common practice for drug dealers to offer things for FREE just to get kids hooked? If this is something prevalent in her area (or just in her history) then seeing something going like this would be an instinctual "get it the hell away" and could explain some of her reaction. Depending on her experiences I can see it override "logical" thinking. One piece in her defense.

Isn’t it common practice for drug dealers to offer things for FREE just to get kids hooked?

If this is something prevalent in her area (or just in her history) then seeing something going like this would be an instinctual “get it the hell away” and could explain some of her reaction.

Depending on her experiences I can see it override “logical” thinking.

]]> By: Josh http://www.workswithu.com/2008/12/10/the-problem-with-being-free/comment-page-1/#comment-2343 Josh Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:49:58 +0000 http://www.workswithu.com/2008/12/10/the-problem-with-being-free/#comment-2343 I've encountered this at my workplace too. People just don't understand how something can be both free and high quality. But, more importantly, they don't understand software (or computers) at all. I know a woman who thinks her monitor is her computer and that her computer's primary function is to run Internet Explorer. She doesn't say her system is "booted" until Explorer is open and maximized. FOSS needs to provide more than just an alternative to proprietary software. It needs to be better. Just as Firefox provided a BETTER alternative to IE, Ubuntu, OpenOffice, and the plethora of other end-user targeted software must be both free and BETTER. If it isn't better, people aren't going to use it. For example, OpenOffice is a great alternative to MS Office and I use it on my Mac, but it simply doesn't compare to Office 2007. Office 2007 is far superior in both functionality and polish. I’ve encountered this at my workplace too. People just don’t understand how something can be both free and high quality. But, more importantly, they don’t understand software (or computers) at all. I know a woman who thinks her monitor is her computer and that her computer’s primary function is to run Internet Explorer. She doesn’t say her system is “booted” until Explorer is open and maximized.

FOSS needs to provide more than just an alternative to proprietary software. It needs to be better. Just as Firefox provided a BETTER alternative to IE, Ubuntu, OpenOffice, and the plethora of other end-user targeted software must be both free and BETTER. If it isn’t better, people aren’t going to use it. For example, OpenOffice is a great alternative to MS Office and I use it on my Mac, but it simply doesn’t compare to Office 2007. Office 2007 is far superior in both functionality and polish.

]]> By: Matthew http://www.workswithu.com/2008/12/10/the-problem-with-being-free/comment-page-1/#comment-2342 Matthew Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:38:22 +0000 http://www.workswithu.com/2008/12/10/the-problem-with-being-free/#comment-2342 I am the Technology Coordinator at my school and although I use Ubuntu as my OS, it will not be soon that we switch the teaching staff off of MS. Microsoft is what they know and are familiar with, the biggest reason for not adopting is the amount of time it would take me to "teach" the staff how to use the OS and Open Office suite. They do not want to take the time and effort to learn a new system even if it would save the district more than $25,000 a year. The second reason is the software they are dependent on does not run on Linux, or has issues with Firefox. I know there are workarounds for some of these, but they are not as simple for the end user, namely the staff, and if it takes extra effort they will not do it because "it's not in the union contract". We do have an LTSP lab in the 3-5 grade building and although it works well and the students take to it very easily, the staff resist it because they are not familiar with it. I have started handing out copies of Open Office to staff members that show interest, but they, for the most part, go back to MS Office because that is what they have learned and it is just too much effort to learn something new. Until we have the administration put a strong effort into advocating FOSS I fear it will not happen for my district. I am the Technology Coordinator at my school and although I use Ubuntu as my OS, it will not be soon that we switch the teaching staff off of MS. Microsoft is what they know and are familiar with, the biggest reason for not adopting is the amount of time it would take me to “teach” the staff how to use the OS and Open Office suite. They do not want to take the time and effort to learn a new system even if it would save the district more than $25,000 a year. The second reason is the software they are dependent on does not run on Linux, or has issues with Firefox. I know there are workarounds for some of these, but they are not as simple for the end user, namely the staff, and if it takes extra effort they will not do it because “it’s not in the union contract”.

We do have an LTSP lab in the 3-5 grade building and although it works well and the students take to it very easily, the staff resist it because they are not familiar with it. I have started handing out copies of Open Office to staff members that show interest, but they, for the most part, go back to MS Office because that is what they have learned and it is just too much effort to learn something new. Until we have the administration put a strong effort into advocating FOSS I fear it will not happen for my district.

]]> By: Vadim P. http://www.workswithu.com/2008/12/10/the-problem-with-being-free/comment-page-1/#comment-2341 Vadim P. Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:36:30 +0000 http://www.workswithu.com/2008/12/10/the-problem-with-being-free/#comment-2341 Linux fails at marketing, in my opinion. Really. Just imagine how different things would be if major open-source licenses required attribution. Linux fails at marketing, in my opinion. Really.

Just imagine how different things would be if major open-source licenses required attribution.

]]> By: Wesley http://www.workswithu.com/2008/12/10/the-problem-with-being-free/comment-page-1/#comment-2340 Wesley Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:50:11 +0000 http://www.workswithu.com/2008/12/10/the-problem-with-being-free/#comment-2340 Interesting article, don't underestimate the power of the teachers union. While I'm doubtful you never know, my wife is a teacher, and well lets say I'm not a fan of the union. Why should "professionals" need a labor union but another topic for another time... I think you do hit on something very important, Microsoft has instilled in our minds that Free = Illegal and that probably is a battle that has to be fought. I love capitalism and think there are plenty of money making opportunities with open source software, but it requires the use of a different business model that really empowers the end user and I believe that is a great thing... if we can only get the Microsoft brainwashing out :) Interesting article, don’t underestimate the power of the teachers union. While I’m doubtful you never know, my wife is a teacher, and well lets say I’m not a fan of the union. Why should “professionals” need a labor union but another topic for another time… I think you do hit on something very important, Microsoft has instilled in our minds that Free = Illegal and that probably is a battle that has to be fought. I love capitalism and think there are plenty of money making opportunities with open source software, but it requires the use of a different business model that really empowers the end user and I believe that is a great thing… if we can only get the Microsoft brainwashing out :)

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