Why do I choose to use Free Software when I can? It is not because its faster, though in many ways it is. It is not because its more secure, though it has far superior security. It is not because it costs less, though an entire server or workstation can be outfitted without a single license fee. Many people DO choose Free Software for these reasons, and they are good reasons, but they are only side-effects. If Linux was slower, less secure, and more expensive, I would still use it. Why?
Free Software, is often misunderstood. Its often called Open Source, but thats not just it. The word Free in Free Software is not free as in "Have a free beer," its used as in "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech." The software is free to have, free to use, free to modify, and free to re-distribute those modifications without charge.
In our age, every aspect of our lives from food preparation to education and career are deeply tied to computers, and this is only the beginning. In a few years nothing we do will be computer-less, from voting to driving a car, to making a phone call. All of our communication, transportation, creation, destruction, expression and emotion will be at a keyboard of one type or other. Who controls these computers? The operator has some control, but what options she has available, what features, what capabilities... those are ultimately controlled by software. Whoever writes the software has vast power.
Already the computers of today have seen huge problems with software makers. Microsoft used typical big-business tactics to monopolize the industry. If not them, maybe Apple, or Sun, or IBM, or Adobe, or any number of corporate entities would have done it. The Microsoft of today has the power to decide how secure your email is, who can make money by selling encryption, how much control you have over who watches you. They choose to ignore hundreds of gaping vulnerabilities that allow unknown crackers access to your computer. They allow pop-ups and pop-unders to violate your desktops, and, they single-handedly make or destroy standards.
With free software, the entire community has access to the blueprints, and the manufacturing floor, and in most cases, the design meetings of software projects. If you dont like how something is done, you can change it and tell others how to change it. Even if you personally lack the skills to solve the problem, others in the community may also be bothered by it and fix it themselves. You can even pay someone to fix it for you if you need it done soon. In addition, anyone can open the blueprints and look to see how things work. Look to see if they are safe and secure and efficient and reliable. If a problem is found, any of thousands of developers can fix it instantly.
Free Software is about the freedom to use computers the way you want to. To do with them whatever you are willing to code up. In a closed software world, the underground has a limitless supply of un-fixed ways to break into your PC. When you browse the web you have little control over what websites can do to your user interface and privacy. When you vote, you have no way to know the counts are accurate. New technologies that might challenge the dominant position of the software company and change the world can be easily sidelined. Ultimately closed source is closed freedom. The mega corps in the world would just love to turn every internet device into another TV set where they feed you products, but the internet has the _potential_ to be so much more. A two-way communication medium where people not only read content but POST content, such as I am doing here. And, Im doing it using 100% free software.
