Free Software Without Force

WeiMingzhi

Much of free software uses licenses, but, sometimes it is nice to be reminded that it is not the license that makes software free. Software freedom begins when a programmer shares source code. After that, software freedom relies upon the circumstances of our time. A popular thing these days is for people to make laws that then allow people to make contracts. As long as these contracts are in-line with the laws, then the people who make and control the laws will help to enforce the contracts. In most societies, enforcing contracts and laws ultimately comes down to a physical threat. Without a physical threat, it is easy for a person to just ignore the lawmakers when they tell them what they must and mustn't do. Politely asking a person to abide by a law only goes so far. Ultimately, one must threaten them with physical action, which, usually means moving them to a location of the lawmakers choosing. Sometimes its taking away a persons property or denying them of having other contracts, or taking those contracts from them, such as money. All said, it is a rather gruesome business.


However, free software isn't about laws and contracts. It is simpler than that. It is about sharing. This idea is simple and easy. Yet, the history of free software has been laden with other complexities: emotions, egos, legalities, semantics, and all sorts of other messy human things. How come?


There are lots of ways we could answer this question. I'm going to try to give one that feels right to me. I don't want all the complexity and competition. It causes fear and makes me feel unsafe. I imagine there is some complex set of neurological actions and descriptions of these physical actions in psychological jargon. But, really, saying I'm uncomfortable or defensive suffices. This is what causes me to be picky over my language, to protest other peoples actions, and to stammer elocutions.


But, at the end of the day it is refreshing to know that a whole lot of people are sharing software and making software with the intention of it being free. It is a great feeling to know that there are people who are willing to dedicate a good portion of their life to deal with real complexities. That there are pessimists and realists who do not sleep at night until they have put some effort into helping to guarantee our freedom and to stand against oppressive forces. I could not thank these people enough. But, I know that the real power behind free software is everyone who identifies with the simple nature of it, everyone who understands the beauty of sharing. This is what ultimately appeases my fears and my doubts, it is what makes me smile and feel that, even if I don't know any one else who is sharing software, I am part of a community. No matter how the contracts and laws turn out, we will continue to share software and to make it free.


Joshua Gay
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