Re: [Fsfe-uk] Re: ECF/ESF

[Kevin Donnelly]

On Tuesday 05 October 2004 11:18 am, address@hidden wrote:
> >We have written a document that attempts to explain to a non-programmer
> >what benefit they might gain from having access to the source code of
> >the programs they use.

> 1 - The term "Open Source" itself in no way means all the things that
> the OSI definition includes, so you have ended up talking about
> "freeing" and "freedom" anyway to clarify it ;)

I think this is the big problem with Open Source as a term - things like 
Microsoft's Shared Source can be presented as part of it, which it is 
certainly not.  Two years ago I tended to think the term was OK (and had an 
interesting exchange with MJ about it, now lost in a hard disk crash!), but 
now I think "there can be only one", and that has to be Free Software.  

However, I'm not sure that I would be quite so harsh on this document as you 
are if that terminology change was made.  The problem with your point below 
is that most people have a very long-term notion of freedom - they don't 
focus on it until they find they are about to be unable to do something they 
took for granted.  So in many cases talking about the four freedoms elicits 
the response, "So?"  

They already use software that they feel has no restriction (or they are 
(unwisely) willing to put up with restrictions in return for perceived 
benefits), they probably already copy software (and may not even know or care 
that that is illegal), they may not be able or willing to pore over source 
code (they don't need to know how their car engine works in order to use it, 
so why should software be different), and they have only limited interest in 
changing the program (don't all these companies release plugins I can buy, 
and there are lots of mags telling me how to do things with MSWord).

So people will probably listen to you in much the same way they will listen to 
a politician saying he believes in full employment and the value of strong 
communities, and mentally discount it.  I think you do actually have to 
reduce the principles to hard facts before you will start to get people 
really engaged, eg:
- did you know you can get your most-used programs in your own language with 
this stuff?
- do you realise you could upgrade your entire school network to cutting-edge 
software for the cost of the staff Christmas dinner?
- your office can save at least 25% on its office software costs, even 
including retraining;
- if you need a special program to read your data files, doesn't the maker of 
that program then own your company's data?
- did you know that the money being spent on desktop software licenses in the 
NHS would be enough to train another 1,500 nurses a year?
- how do you know that information about your company is not being leaked to a 
third party every time you use proprietary software (eg Microsoft Office 
editing record)?

> 2 - That takes a while to explain. If you want to explain OSS/FS to
> someone on a busy, noisy stall in under a minute, it's not suitable; if
> you want to explain it to someone not in terms of how it would benefit
> their institution or themselves, but why it is a *good thing*, it's not
> suitable; the list could go on. I stand by saying that the FS term is
> far more appropriate. What could be more easy than saying "It's FS...
> FS means four freedoms... these enable x, y and z... from a technical
> point of view, they mean better software because of x, y and z..."?
>
> To me, your document gets things backwards. It tries to explain to a
> non-programmer why they should think like a programmer, or why they
> should appreciate the benefits of OSS to a programmer. It then does a
> very good job of showing how the programmers' benefits can be good for
> the user, but still I prefer to start with why they should *care* about
> FS and then how it can benefit them. But maybe that's a difference of
> backgrounds and which circles we move in :)

I wouldn't agree with the first bit, but I would agree with the last sentence.  
I don't think there is a "canonical spiel" you can give to people - you need 
to try and find their pressure points, and massage them gently with applied 
free software goodness.

-- 

Pob hwyl (Best wishes)

Kevin Donnelly

www.kyfieithu.co.uk - Meddalwedd Rhydd yn Gymraeg
www.cymrux.org.uk - Linux Cymraeg ar un CD!