http://maffulli.net/2007/11/09/perception-of-freelibre-software/ about open communities, source of freedom and good software Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:48:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 http://maffulli.net/2007/11/09/perception-of-freelibre-software/comment-page-1/#comment-31517 ][ stefano maffulli » More on perception and Free/Libre Software and marketing Tue, 13 Nov 2007 09:26:15 +0000 http://maffulli.net/2007/11/09/perception-of-freelibre-software/#comment-31517 [...] Matt reports about Actuate 07 Open Source Survey Whitepaper which has interesting data about perception of FLOSS (page 9): The main perceived benefit of open source software is that there are no licence costs [...] [...] Matt reports about Actuate 07 Open Source Survey Whitepaper which has interesting data about perception of FLOSS (page 9): The main perceived benefit of open source software is that there are no licence costs [...]

]]> http://maffulli.net/2007/11/09/perception-of-freelibre-software/comment-page-1/#comment-31515 stoned Mon, 12 Nov 2007 13:57:23 +0000 http://maffulli.net/2007/11/09/perception-of-freelibre-software/#comment-31515 The analogy between a modern society and a digital environment is perfect. However it would be a mistake if we make an analogy between democracy and ethics. The former is related to an institutional practice, the latter is, to put it in broad terms, a matter of personal preference or interpretation about putting ideas into practice. Ethics, sometimes depending on the audience, is too weak as a term to make it a starting point for balancing powers and fighting social inertia. This is because, ethics is the consequence of the establishment of institutions, not their cause. In that sense, democratic institutions, like the communities of users, to be established for the digital age is a top priority.The results are already encouraging, however the extension of capacities (i.e. integration) and the setup of other complementary forms are required. How to strengthen communities? First by making them sustainable. This is a major next step for now and the open future. By showing to people that communities make a difference, an interesting improvement to their lives. If this is true, ethics will emerge. If not, even for the best intentions, the trap of the old economy is just around the corner... The analogy between a modern society and a digital environment is perfect. However it would be a mistake if we make an analogy between democracy and ethics. The former is related to an institutional practice, the latter is, to put it in broad terms, a matter of personal preference or interpretation about putting ideas into practice. Ethics, sometimes depending on the audience, is too weak as a term to make it a starting point for balancing powers and fighting social inertia. This is because, ethics is the consequence of the establishment of institutions, not their cause. In that sense, democratic institutions, like the communities of users, to be established for the digital age is a top priority.The results are already encouraging, however the extension of capacities (i.e. integration) and the setup of other complementary forms are required. How to strengthen communities? First by making them sustainable. This is a major next step for now and the open future. By showing to people that communities make a difference, an interesting improvement to their lives. If this is true, ethics will emerge. If not, even for the best intentions, the trap of the old economy is just around the corner…

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