Software Freedom
For years I was dissatisfied with how I used technology and the terms under which I used it: I always felt like I was going against what I learned in Kindergarten. Luckily there is an alternative for people who want to use technology in a way that supports civil society: free software. Free software is free as in freedom: freely shareable, fully functional, and erases the boundary between user and developer. People who use free software are active participants in its creation and maintenance. And contrary to some accounts, free software is just as easy to use — and just as pretty — as software that is not free to share. Those of you who use Mozilla Firefox already know this.
Best of all, when you choose free software, you are taking a step toward creating a society that is less focused on competition, hoarding and material wealth; it's a step toward society based on learning, helping and sharing. And as Richard Stallman reminds us, "People who don't value their freedom will lose it."
Here are some resources that I hope will help you take the leap:
- What is Free Software? A video introduction to Free Software and GNU/Linux by Richard Stallman (.ogv – will play directly in Firefox)
- The GNU Project
- Free Software Foundation
- But I'm not a programmer!: a short essay on how to embrace becoming a hacker
- Sex, math and programming: my blog, mostly about freedom, technology and implications for research and education
- Haploid genetics library
- Follow me on identica or twitter
