Open Source Values

[Hal Duston]

Jim Herrmann wrote:
> I agree with the statement below, and is why I have a hard time
> understanding the appeal to the conservative person, which typically
> believes in hierarchy and authority.  I really want to hear from Hal and
> Bill on what about OSS that appeals to their values.  I'm listening.
> Trying to understand.  Help me out here guys.
>
> Monty J. Harder wrote:
> > To the conventional, authoritarian mind, this is 'anarchy, lawlessness,
> > chaos!'  They can't conceive of a society without government experts
> > giving the imperial imprimatur to certain endeavors; they are
> > frightened by the notion that people who aren't even licensed to
> > practice computing could build systems to do mission-critical work.

OK, Hal here.  I generally try to stay technical on the list, but I'll bite.

The belief in hierarchy, authority and licensing is not unique to the
conservative point of view.  Many groups in the liberal coalition believe in
authority and licensing.  A labor union has plenty of authority when
enforcing work rules upon its members, even when it goes against common
sense.  An environmental protection group will use the law to tell a land
owner that he cannot develop land in a particular way if there are certain
fish, insects or other protected animals living in the area.  Arms-control
groups are quite interested in licensing and certification.  Teachers unions
are likewise interested in licensing and certification as well.  We have
government experts telling us what we should eat, how much we should
exercise, how fast we should drive.  The only difference between a
conservative coalition and a liberal coalition is which things are desired
to be under the authority of a hierarchy to be licensed, certified, and
permitted, and which things are preferred to be left to the individual.  I
could go on, but I think that is quite a bit already.

As csappenfield said in earlier email, the free software development model
is the ultimate free market, unregulated and uncontrolled, completely
self-organizing.  I disagree that "business conservativism" is what the
group opposed to free software is, but would rather call it "business
cronyism", which isn't a political group at all.  Proprietary software is
rental software.  Free software is the ultimate expression of an individual
"ownership society."

--
Hal