[Fsfe-ie] Re: ethical interpretations of FS

Aidan Delaney adelaney at cs.may.ie
Tue Feb 3 15:31:43 CET 2004


> My answer to this question is that source code should only be part of  
> the commons when it is in control of OTHER PEOPLE'S computers.  If it  
> is just running on my hardware I have no obligation to disclose what  
> it is doing.
I accept your point and ask what about services?  If my non-Free  
software controls your services (Banking etc...) how is this different  
from me controlling your computer, considering computers are just tools  
to use services.

In case I'm not being as clear as I can be, let me restate:
You state (rightly) that there is no difference between data.  Examples  
of data being my private gpg key, Acmesoft source code or a text file  
containing a Yeats poem.

At the point where the Acmesoft source code starts controlling my  
computer, Free Software philosophy states that the user should be  
entitled to view the source code.

I'm extrapolating a little and stating that when your source code (in  
compiled form etc...) starts controlling my services, that I would like  
to see the source code (I'm not sure of the FSF line on this).

It's clear (to me, and I have been wrong before) that your source code  
(again, compiled, interpreted...) running on your machine is your  
private data, like your egold password or my gpg key.  When your source  
code is running and controlling my services I don't think it is your  
private data.

However, How and why I would still consider your egold password  
embedded in the source as still being your private data I'm not sure!
--
Thank you,
Aidan Delaney.

Please avoid sending me Word or PowerPoint attachments.
See http://www.fsf.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html 
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