The culture of technology should fit the needs in our lives...

Free software is taking on many viewpoints as the open culture in technology emerges.  We have had a trend with many proprietary interests such as Microsoft to fight for copyrights and rights to restrict sales of upgrades on new versions, licensing entanglements and other such proprietary interests.  I must agree with people like Richard Stallman since I feel that technology is so expansive globally now, that the right to improve technology for the benefit of everyone in the world who uses this mode of communication is similar to a basic fundamental human right.  If we give someone a pencil and teach them to write, should the manufacturer of that pencil require royalties of that individual if he or she writes a masterpiece resulting in a Pulitzer Prize?  And what about the paper manufacturer, the copy machine/printing press manufacturer, or even the university staff where the individual attended school last to perfect his or her writing skills?  Perhaps sometimes we can take proprietary interests to the extreme.  Do the car manufacturers of today still owe tribute monetarily to the descendants of Leonardo da Vinci, since he sketched drawings of the first automobile?  I really think we have to draw the line after a certain point, and accept some things as the cumulative result of a progressive, global civilization.

In reviewing Wikepedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_software_movement), I found out that Richard Stallman is considered by many to be the founder of the free software movement by launching the GNU Prjoect in 1983.  I think his intentions are for the general good of humanity as he wholeheartedly supports his views to liberalize computer use for the benefit of all.  Stallman is quoted in this Wikipedia site aforementioned as delivering  the following words:

“The only thing in the software field that is worse than an unauthorised copy of a proprietary program, is an authorized copy of the proprietary program because this does the same harm to its whole community of users, and in addition, usually the developer, the perpetrator of this evil, profits from it.”

 Again, I think his intentions are for the general good.  However, I also understand that hackers and highjackers can be a concern for uploading software if these types of individuals intrude on the Internet…running the risk of adding corruption to files and infecting computers with deadly viruses if careful software development is totally disregarded.  People who are willing to work for credible companies tirelessly to combat these types of ill-intended technology bandits should also be compensated for their honest labor.  Perhaps a mix of free software and proprietary software is best.

Another pioneer in the open software culture is Linus Torvalds.  He was born in Finland and upon studying computer science at the University of Helsinki and using a Minix system, he “lamented its inability to do terminal emulation, which he needed so he could connect to the university’s computers”(www.linux.org).  Out of this frustration grew a desire to develop a program that would accomplish this task.  This was the beginning of the creation of Linux.

The real intention of free software is “a matter of liberty, not price” according to the GNU website.  At www.gnu.org one can revisit some of the real purposes for this culture, such as the motive to help your neighbor with improving a software application for his particular needs, or for improving and adapting software for your own goals in computer uses at home.  If the whole community can benefit from an improved technology, as concerned citizens we should be active in liberalizing our own rights.  When we especially think of state, federal and foreign governments which tend to pass expenses directly to citizens by increasing bureaucratic costs, fees and taxes when these entities operate inefficiently, then it makes sense that software should be improved by a freer mode of collaborative technology. That brings us to the obvious crossroad where we should all “sharpen our pencils” and take notes on how to fit in to this developing culture.