[Linux4christians] The Moral Foundation of Free Software

[Mike Martin]

Don Parris wrote:
 > Let me get this straight.  It's o.k. for me to make my software
 > proprietary, charge a hefty fee (in spite of the low cost of
 > reproduction), and tell you you cannot help your neighbors so that I
 > can look good when I donate money to them?

Yes!!!! You have the right to create your product, charge what you want, 
and do what you want (legally) with the profits, regardless how large or 
small. Not only is it moral, it is completely respectable! Thank God for 
America!


Don,

I believe there are a few presupposition in the FOSS mindset that become 
a stumbling block to many who are like myself:

1) Fees for original product or licenses are somehow immoral. 2) Labor 
only has it reward in that it is done for others only expecting 
non-tangible revenue in return. 3) If it exists: I'm entitled to it, 
regardless of what it took someone to create it. I disagree with all three.

Don: All I'm saying is that I believe a mistake is made when someone 
attempts to enforce the particulars of a "development" model onto an 
"economic" framework.

Here is an example of what I'm trying to say from the laboratory of my 
own experience:

I write open source code and I write proprietary code. I have to feed my 
family, pay my bills, etc. In the early 90s I was working with two other 
developers (friends) to produce a secure file transfer system. Our 
original goal was to produce it and release it open source. But half way 
into the project I realized how good our "black box" was. It was 
excellent code. I changed my mind and told my other two friends I would 
not be licensing my code under the GPL. They got mad. Real mad. We never 
finished our project together. We simply agreed to take our own code and 
go our own ways. I finally finished my own version. In 2001, well after 
the Dot-Com-Boom-CRASH, I sold my secure file transfer system for 
$21,000.00. My other two friends were just out. I tried to convince them 
in the beginning that even though we COULD use the open source method 
among ourselves to build our black box, we would be far better off 
keeping the source and just selling the product. But alas, they refused. 
I never let them have my code.

The Moral: God provided for me and my family during a time when a UNIX 
type couldn't get employment cleaning bathrooms. I signed an NDA with 
the people I worked for and promised to not do anything with the code I 
had sold them for 2 years. After I signed the NDA I was given an 
additional $11,000.00 to close the deal. An open source zealot might 
call this "immoral." I call it God's Provision! It was 100% my code, my 
labor, my skills. God simply blessed it. I did a job: I got paid for it.

I still do open source stuff. I always will. But I reserve the right, 
without apology, to use the gifts God has given me to provide for our 
needs.

Don: You have choices. You are not obligated to purchase anything you 
don't want to purchase. I've NEVER been hit with a "Microsoft Tax." I've 
homebrewed/built my own systems for a long time. I have choices also. :)

In Christian Hope,

-mm

--
Pastor Mike Martin
mem0tech <<at>> cableone.net