stefan.waidele.info

(This is the translation of http://stefan.waidele.info/2006/01/10/hauptsache-frei/)

The two main arguments which are brought forth by many critics of Free Software: Lacking documentation and the wide variety of programs that do the same thing.

The proposed solutionis that simular project should be joined together and thus better programs and more recent documentation could be produced. The editorial of the german magazin iX closes like this:

If the Open-Source-activists would recognize the need for usable documentation and also the need for self-discipline would possilbly give back the freedom to simply work with applications to the users.

While it cannot be argued against the fact that there are many OSS-projects that are far away from alpha-quality and even unneccessary, the reasoning above is wrong. To suggest that Gnome and KDE, OOo and KOffice, Emacs and XEmacs (and maybe even vi) should be joined misses the goal by far.

Thes projects started with different aims and they follow different Visions. They implement the basics differently. These differences contribute to the value of Free Software. The freedom to simply work with an application only exists where there are applications that fit the way the user does his work.

By the way, this diversity already has been available with commercially developed software. There was AmiPro, WordPerfect and Word. There was 1-2-3, Multiplan and Excel. There was Borland TurboPascal, Microsoft Basics, RealBasic, and above all 6501-Assembler. There was TOS, GEM, WorkBench, OS/2 and DOS/Windows. And we all agreed: The paper the companies used to print the manuals was wasted. Lack of Quality of the applications or the documentation was not the reason for the disappearance of choice.

If the documentation of commercially developed software was that good, why are the shelves in the bookstores filled with books about how to use a word-processor? Why are the shelves filled with magazines that reveal “1000 sectret Tips for your operating system”? Authors try hard to keep up with the market-leader and that is alright. But to confuse the explainations of the IT-publishers with “good documentation of commercially developed software” is plainly naive.

Today, commercially developed software is also supported mainly over the internet, by other users. With special purpose applications, lack of documentation even opens up another stream of revenue: Software training.

Those who preach “commercial software is good software” that there are many Shareware, Adware, Cheapware or Whateverware applications that do not reach the quality of Free Software. The good and successfull of these are immitated by the market-leader and thus become obsolete. DoubleSpace, Norton Commander, Netscape Navigator, WinAmp or WinDVD are just some examples. Free Software is important, for it cannot be bought, and it is not vunerable to the regular maket- or powerstructures.

The Quality of documentation rises wherever there is a community of users that supports a product. This holds true in the commercial as well as in the free environment. But for a free product, it will happen more easily, since the community reaps the benefits of the volunteers and not a company that has grown much too big. Free Documentation does not grow as fast as Free Software, but it does grow. (The iX-editorial mentions lack of documentation of the OpenOffice.org-API: That lack has its roots in the strictly commercial roots as StarOffice). Books and magazines that cover Free Software increase both in number and in quality.

Free Hardware

With the preasure of the software- and filmindustry on the hardware manufactorer rising, it will be more and more difficult for Free Software to run on “standard-hardware”. By the time Windows (or however they call it then) only runs on office-XBox’s , the time will be ready for “Free Hardware” (Free Computers - FC?). These will be shipped with Linux (or whatever it is called then). FC/Linux, in addition to Apple/MacOS and X-Box/Windows, will be another choice of hardware that is tailored for a specific operating system. And that is what it is all about: Freedom is about choice.