Re: Free Software Lifestyle

[Andrew Gray]

Ciaran O'Riordan wrote:
> Tim Smith <reply_in_group@mouse-potato.com> writes:
> > I bet if you look around, you'll find that you are happily using plenty 
> > of things that use non-free software every day.
>
> This argument is: You can't attain perfection, so don't try improving.

I don't deny that at times free software advocates can seem cultish, and 
the borders between religion and cult can be somewhat blurry if you 
don't make major distinctions. With that in mind, let me make a 
metaphor, albeit a vague one.

Catholics aren't Catholic so that they can be perfect; they're Catholic 
because they are imperfect and they want to strive to improve 
themselves, both for themselves and for their community. Catholics are 
Catholic also because they believe it is right. People may sin less if 
they follow a strict code, but that doesn't mean they're sinless by any 
means.

I try to use Free Software as exclusively as possible not because I'm 
striving for perfection, but because I'm striving to prove a point by 
being the best person (by that standard, anyway) that I can be, 
regardless of whether or not I can attain a wholly exclusive usage. It 
doesn't mean I'm not apt to slip up every once in a while either by 
cultural "necessity" or ignorance, but I'm still *trying*.

It certainly is a bit of a stretch, but the comparison makes sense to me.

--
Andrew Gray
Free software | Free minds | Free neighbors | Free world