Eternal vigilance

The article in LXF203 by Bradley Kuhn on the Future of Freedom bounced me out of my comfort zone of believing that the world might be accepting software freedom – in particular Microsoft. I have never trusted Microsoft and their grudging acceptance of the existence of Linux and other free software. Not only are they inveigling their way into the software freedom arena by joining various umbrella organisations, but their attempts to lock people into their proprietary software prison seems even more devious than before.

As an analogy, Microsoft, post Ballmer, seemed to take on board a more environmentfriendly attitude to the conservation of the software habitat. Admittedly, they began by trying to re-arrange the habitat to their idea of an ecosystem, by eliminating “weeds” through the good old method of “harvest and burn”. But that failed to stop new “weeds” popping up - so they have begun the more insidious and potentially better method of planting brambleberry bushes - offering easily accessible free fruit while the mother plant quietly began, through its rapid growth and painful thorns to cover, strangle and obliterate the diversity of other species that makes a habitat not only resilient but capable of evolving to deal with natural threats. I’m surprised Microsoft hasn’t attempted to buy the rights and all DVD copies of the “Little Shop of Horrors” because the similarity between Microsoft and “Audrey II” are frighteningly apparent. The article reminded me that we must not get too complacent about the burgeoning success of free software and software freedom - we are attempting a cultural revolution against powerful organisations whose idea of freedom is, switching analogies, being able to walk the exercise yard of a high-security prison. DrColinR.Lloyd,viaemail