Re: Advice Workplace that Forces Non-Free Software

[Jean Louis]

* Mike Gerwitz <mtg@gnu.org> [2020-08-30 09:02]:
> On Sun, Aug 30, 2020 at 01:51:47 -0400, Mike Gerwitz wrote:
> > Hey, Jean:
> > I agree, and I agree that we ought to help whomever we can.
> >
> > But I also recognize that not everybody sees it as an injustice, and not
> > everyone will be convinced.  Helping someone who does not want to be
> > helped has its own considerations.
> 
> I forgot to emphasize one other point:
> 
> In my original message, I encouraged lily to try to change the working
> environment if possible.  In a similar way, I don't necessarily think
> that everyone should avoid jobs that don't subscribe fully to the free
> software philosophy.

I surely understand how you think.

Myself, I think that no person should accept jobs where they are
producing non-free software, or using such, as that is dangerous also
for their personal freedoms, like you mentioned it earlier. In my
opinion it is also danger to national security of any country.

To reiterate it:

Using non-free software, including centralized proprietary networks,
and other digital evils, by an organization is danger to national and
international security and concerns all people on this planet.

You probably need examples on that. Imagine companies using Whatsapp
to provide their customer support, that means that contacts of all
customers could be subjugated to Whatsapp and Facebook, without their
consent, so now any kind of crime becomes possible and group of
customers can be affected by proprietary tricks, abuse and use of
personal information, including thefts of all kinds. That this did
happen, is recorded, you can read about this.

> The reason is that the best way to change an organization is often from
> within.

If it is not your organization, and you are not planner issuing
policies, you have almost no recourse, you could beg for
organizational changes and make proposals, but you have no
control. Don't accept to be in suppressive oranizations.

Jean