RE: Where Fedora Went Wrong (nice conclusion)

On Tue, 2007-05-15 at 14:44 -0700, Ada Ho wrote:

Lynn Margulis, the biologist, likes to point out that bacteria freely
exchange their genes in a global network. One could hardly say that bacteria
do this "altruistically" (could a bacterium be altruistic?) Rather, they do
it because it offers a survival advantage - in economic terms, it's a
good/service.

It's good to know that the human species is catching up to bacteria by means
of the internet and the free software movement.

So don't dispair when "Free Riders" gripe about what they're getting from
the free software "marketplace". They only do it because they've long since
adapted to being passive, helpless consumers or wards of the state. The
value to the world gained by free software is far greater than that taken
away by "Free Riders". If things don't work perfectly sometimes, it's
because the open "marketplace" is fostering progress - and change.

en I
see something I think needs to be addressed.

The way I see it, Free and Open Source Software is a massive act of altruism

performed by many people for the good of the worldwide community. Users of
FOSS should recognise this fact and be sure to give at least something back
to the community in return, even if it isn't a contribution to the operating

system they use for free. Many computer users don't have the skills to write

code or the time available due to family commitments etc to write
documentation, but everybody can find time to go along to, say, a blood
donation session or spend a few hours sometimes helping a charity, thus
putting something back into the community.

Thanks for making my point for me Ada, intelligence abounds on this
list. That was a great opinion and I'm gonna rip it to my archives! Ric

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