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OK, let me deal with a few misunderstandings here. 1. Freedom is not communist. Communist systems remove freedom from the citizen and the media. To seek freedom in software is not anti-capitalist or pro-communist. It is not religious either, it is simply SHARING. 2. Free software does not just appear by magic. Developers toil over the code for days, weeks or years. Blood, sweat and tears go into the code and it is supremely insulting to disregard all that effort just because your life becomes slightly less convenient. 3. Free software developers NEED DATA. This topic generally comes up regarding certain forms of hardware. Hardware costs real money because it is a physical item that consumes resources. If I buy your printer, you no longer have a printer. I can't copy your printer. We can't share a printer over any meaningful distances. What this means for the community is that if YOU have a piece of hardware that is not supported by the free software driver, it is up to YOU to provide data to the free software developers and help them create the extra functionality you need. The developer cannot buy one model of every version of that hardware on the market. The developer needs YOU to run test programmes and debugging tools against your hardware so that the free code can interrogate the hardware and tell the developer how it is configured. 4. Don't try to contact proprietary hardware providers yourself and expect them to suddenly change their minds. These companies know about GNU/Linux by now and are well aware of free software. They simply haven't got the message, that's all. Work with those who CAN help you, the free software developers. 5. Proprietary code is ALWAYS untrustworthy and can ALWAYS be taken away from you without notice. The whole point of proprietary code is that the licence allows them to force you to remove the software if THEY deem you have broken the licence, or if they simply change their minds and want to charge a higher fee. Free software can never be taken away from you. (Open source CAN but that's a different story.) 6. Part of your contribution to the community, a vote of thanks if you like, is to respect the contribution of those volunteers and help them improve the code. You do NOT do that by running to some proprietary troll everytime things get inconvenient for your delicate sensibilities. Wise up! Proprietary code is not there for your benefit. Free software is there to help you and others like you, now and into the future. Help them. 7. Remember: This is ALL about sharing. People share their code and hardware configuration data with you. People share their solutions and fixes with you. It is disrespectful, selfish and childish to then creep under the carpet and pretend you don't have any contribution to make in return. Free software relies on YOU contributing bug reports, helping with testing patches and updates, sticking with the free software until it can support everything you need; not for your selfish benefit but so that the knowledge gained is not lost in some proprietary blackhole. SHARE. The bottom line, as before in another thread, is this: You have what you have because others share it with you. To benefit from sharing, YOU must also be prepared to share. Sharing is good for you and it's good for those with whom you share. Sharing reinforces freedom, supports freedom and requires sharing in return. Don't be a parasite. Share your time with those who can solve your problem. All they need is a little of your time and effort to help them and they will gladly share that knowledge with you and everyone else. Help your friends to help you. SHARE some of your time with them. We all have a contribution to make, no matter how little. Submitting a bug report isn't beyond any computer user. All it requires is a little willingness. -- Neil Williams ============= http://www.data-freedom.org/ http://www.nosoftwarepatents.com/ http://www.linux.codehelp.co.uk/
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