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diff --git a/content/blog/free-and-open-source-software.md b/content/blog/free-and-open-source-software.md index 856f06c..9ccfc25 100644 --- a/content/blog/free-and-open-source-software.md +++ b/content/blog/free-and-open-source-software.md @@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ date: 2023-01-09 --- Consider the purpose of the software you use and the values guiding the project. -What is the founder’s mission? Who do they put first, the user or the company? -Sadly, it is usually the company. Profit drives companies and can come at the -cost of users. The company sells user data, deplatforms users, and uses vendor +What is the founder’s mission? Who do they put first, the user or the business? +Sadly, it is usually the business. Profit drives businesses and can come at the +cost of users. The business sells user data, deplatforms users, and uses vendor lock-in. Advertisements become abundant, and paywalls hide features. But free and open source software (FOSS) offers user freedom, community ownership, and interoperability. @@ -36,15 +36,20 @@ Open source unlocks interoperability so developers can make their software compatible with other software and hardware. They can look at the source code and understand how the program works rather than just what it does. Interoperability also lowers switching costs for users who want to move to a -different program. Companies want to keep switching costs high and prevent users -from leaving their products and services. They build up walled gardens by +different program. Businesses want to keep switching costs high and prevent +users from leaving their products and services. They build up walled gardens by expanding into other domains to make it harder to explore alternatives. -How can you help? +## How can you help? -- Encourage people to use FOSS -- Encourage institutions to use FOSS -- Write and share FOSS and its ideas +Avoid businesses that offer "free" services. Typically in these cases, investors +paid with money, and as the user, you pay in other ways like allowing the +selling of personal data or consuming advertisements. User-paid services without +outside investors are aligned with users and meeting their needs rather than +putting shareholders first. They give the software a user-centered design rather +than a profit-centered design. Some other ways you can help are by encouraging +people and institutions to use FOSS and by writing and sharing FOSS and its +ideas. ## Resources |