Today we discussed free and open source software. We started by contrasting proprietory software (paid for) and free software (community based - no actual owner). Free software includes software that helps run the internet, i hadnt ever thought that the internet would have software as a foundation :) I liked the video on Richard who developed GNU - this was a free alternative to UNIX. I liked his concept that free software equates to freedom, freedom to communicate, freedom to alter (as long as you make your altered copy available for free!! :) I am interested in maybe changing my operating system as i had no idea that windows tells microsoft what my computer is doing, this concept as a 'big picture' scares me!! Where will it stop??
I also wasnt aware that mozilla firefox is a free version of netscape (not that i really knew what netscape was). i like the idea of the creative commons. this is the same philosophy as free software but in other contexts, such as music or photos. i really liked the video on larry lessig, i found his concepts really interesting and easy to understand. how we moved from a read write culture to a read only existance and how the internet has revived the read write again. i especially liked the remixed music and tv that he put together, how he establishes that he's not pirating but recreating. he states that 'common sense hasnt prevailed yet.....' when it comes to copy right laws on the internet, hopefully for future generations this will change!! :)
Lastly we discussed The Electronic Frontier Foundation who defend our rights in this digital world from governments and corporations, as well as keeping the internet accessible to everyone, yay :)
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