Explaining Free Software - good examples

izlem Gozukeles izlem.gozukeles at emo.org.tr
Fri Jul 21 18:35:00 UTC 2006


Hi,
In an article, I had conceptualized Free and Open Source Software (FOSS)
as "continiously accumulated social knowledge". In this sense, source
code itself is both means of production for software development and the
product itself.

In that respect, I gave this example,
*******************************************
A problem arises because of the double meaning of {\it free} in English.
In its first meaning, one does not have to pay any money. One may
download (or copy from your friends)  audio files,  e-books or a whole
operating system, GNU/Linux without paying any money. However, for
hackers, {\it free} means as it is in {\it freedom} or {\it free
speech}. While first {\it free} is more related with consumption, latter
is about production. Being free in its second meaning differentiates
software from other information goods. There are also collaborative
production of information goods other than software in which everybody
can freely contribute and benefit from the contribution of others.
However, this is more common in software development.

Software may act as  database, editor or calculator for performing needs
of its user. In this sense, FOSS may be free in its first meaning. On
the other hand, if you have the source code of software as in FOSS, it
will be potential source code for a more functional software \cite{AND}.
For instance, if you have the source code of a calculator application
which performs only basic operations (addition, subtraction,
multiplication, division), you may develop a more functional calculator
in less time than building a calculator from scratch. In other words,
FOSS as tendency of software has twofold aspects, use-value and means of
production. One can use any FOSS according to his/her needs.
Additionally, one can take the accumulated contribution of hackers and
by adding value one can create more functional software. In other words,
if a programmer develops a basic calculator in five days, another
programmer can take its source code and develop a more functional
calculator in three days. Yet, if he does not have chance to take the
code of basic calculator, he can  develop in eight days.
*******************************************

--
ibrahim izlem Gozukeles



Matthias Kirschner yazmış:

>Hi all,
>
>I am looking for a good way to explain Free Software to
>*non-programmers* during a moderated show. It should be short (about 6
>minutes), not to technically (I do not want to scare them off), and
>illustrative.
>
>
>To start I thought about using the recipe analogy because I have good
>experiences with this example which others also share.
>
>But now there should be an example for the audience, which shows the
>advantage of the freedom to modify the software to your own needs. There
>should be some pictures so not only someone is visible who is just
>talking or explaining without really showing something.
>
>
>First I thought of a /translation example/: Think about the case your
>mother want to use a program, but she is not able to read English. And
>than show someone who is translating a program into another language
>(there is the possibility to show things on a screen). 
>  
>But I do not know if that is something people are really concerned with.
>So someone had the idea to adept a /Mozilla Firefox extension/ (Firefox,
>because it is available on different platforms and a lot of people
>already know it and perhaps use it). For example, adapt a library search
>to a local library. But I do not know how difficult it is to do
>something like this and I am unsure if the audience will understand it.
>
>It should be easy to modify it. It does not matter if the result is
>funny, or useful.
>
>A friend argued OpenOffice.org, FireFox and embedded devices (which also
>was an idea) are bad examples for showing practical work on the source
>code and it would be better to use a language and application that does
>not need a /building step/, like a python application.
>
>Another friend said he thinks you cannot explain Free Software to a
>non-programmer by showing someone modifying software, because the
>audience does not know what a program is, so there is no point in
>showing them a program and pretend to tell them that 'it is easy to
>modify it'.
>
>After thinking about this I am playing with the idea to just use the
>recipe example and show someone cooking. But I am not sure if it is good
>not showing software at all.
>
>
>Now, what do you think? Do you have good approaches which might help me? Or
>have experiences that a certain approach did not work with a
>non-programmer audience?
>
>I am looking forward to your replies.
>
>With best wishes,
>Matze
>
>  
>






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