Why FOSS isn't on activist agendas

Posted by SamShazaam on Dec 14, 2006 1:54 AM EDT
Linux.com; By Bruce Byfield 		Mail this story
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In theory, free and open source software (FOSS) should have a direct appeal to those concerned with ethics and social issues. Yet, in practice, it rarely does. Although the FOSS and activist communities frequently share ethical positions and social interests ranging from freedom of expression and cooperative organization to consumer rights, privacy, and anti-trust legislation, mostly the two groups remain unaware of each other. Why? Those comfortable in both the FOSS and activist arenas see several problems that must be overcome before activists can accept FOSS. These problems include the FOSS community's insularity, its failure to deliver the right message to the activists' technophobia, and a failure to make connections. In the end, it may be only by seeing the values that underlie both FOSS and other causes that any connection can be made

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Subject Topic Starter Replies Views Last Post
Excellent article beirwin 7 1,358 Dec 15, 2006 5:09 AM

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