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March '04: Menu
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The Limits of Free SoftwareAsa WinstanleyPage 1 ¦ Page 2 ¦ Page 3 ¦ Printer-friendly version SolutionsThis essay has been mainly about identifying problems. I would like to tenuously suggest the beginnings of some possible solutions, or at least a few possible directions for future debate. I avoid discussion of what to do in the short term in the global south, as they often have more pressing needs, such as running water [19]. There is no reason that information development could not progress in the global south as long as priorities and local needs are paramount [20]. Awareness raising within LUGsLUGs are Linux User Groups. They organise activities such as "install-fests" where anyone can bring their computer along and have GNU/Linux installed. They also engage in regular "meets" and hold discussions on the latest happenings in the free software world. One possible strategy would be to work within these groups to raise awareness of wider social and political issues, to try and point out the links between technology and liberation or oppression. One example of the latter is the use by the US military of GNU/Linux systems. The president of a LUG in Los Angles recently gave up his post, citing this concern as his main reason [21]. It is not, therefore, a question of "politicising" these groups, rather it is a question of whether or not they will maintain their often questionable politics. Groups such as the Brixton Linux Action Group (who maintain an activist-focused GNU/Linux distribution called BLAG) and those involved in the organisation of the Lancaster AktiviX events are a welcome development in this regard. Nick Hill on the AktiviX mailing list, recently made the point that most LUG's abdication of concern over social and political issues is attributable to both the intolerance for open debate within many LUGs, and their attitude towards "the otherness of 'Linux' and 'open source' [which] does not carry with it a strong political dimension" because they shy away from the essentially political nature of the GPL and free software in favour of short term gains [22]. Alternative 'social contract' licenses?Free software can be used by anyone for anything. There are no free software licenses that prevent, even in theory, people or groups who work against a good society - even those who actively work against free software. The Open Source Definition even has a "no discrimination against fields of endeavour" clause, stating as examples that restricting "the program from being used in a business, or from being used for genetic research" would stop a license from being considered 'open source' [23]. The Free Software Foundation is similarly permissive, saying that free software requires that there is "freedom for any kind of person or organization to use it... for any kind of overall job" [24]. Within the free software community, there are basically two schools of thought on this issue. The first: free software is like free speech and you should not deny it to even your worst enemies, including fascist groups and the US Military (the latter make extensive use of GNU/Linux and other free software, and even release some of their own software under the GPL). The second school of thought is that such 'social contract' provisions would be unenforceable. One such 'debate' was recently held on the comments page of the Newsforge story about the LA LUG president who resigned (he was roundly condemned). A smaller version of the debate was held recently on the ActiviX mailing list recently in which Nick Hill made the interesting point that [25]: "It would be better if... military budgets were much smaller and the money put directly to good use, but this requires political effort. Aiming to stop the military from using open software technologies is certainly the wrong way to counter colonialism. Everyone can freely benefit from improvements to the system made as a result of military dollars spent on Linux system development". HacklabsAlthough the political awakening of LUGs is slowly starting to happen with awareness raised over issues such as the SCO attacks and the software patents issue, it is unclear how far this can go as "LUG structures may not be conducive to good political debate" [26]. One possible approach to this problem would be to explicitly challenge formal or informal hierarchies and ideological narrowness within LUGs, pressing for wider social and political debate and action relating to free software. A possibly more productive approach would be to take part in the much wider Hacklab movement that is taking off around Europe. I'm currently involved in one such project in the east end of London, the Freedom Press Media Hacklab. Explicitly political spaces for activists, free software enthusiasts and the wider community, Hacklabs are an exciting development. Starting our own Hacklabs in poorer communities would benefit the anarchist movement immensely, grounding us in real communities. Also it could provide the wider public with more ideologically open internet access, not subject to the (intensely political) censorship of filtering software that is often imposed in public libraries and schools [27]. We don't have to travel to the global south to start filling the gap. We have our own 50% of information have-nots. Like setting up social centres, starting Hacklabs are a definite challenge that can often meet significant opposition (especially in occupied spaces), as well as internal organisational and directional challenges. The free software movement, and the vast array of tools it has produced are welcome developments. It may yet lead to a wider political awakening within technocratic elite sectors. But free software, the GPL, or indeed the entire concept of copyleft are not panaceas. The "little puddle" may be able to connect to a wider "ocean" [28] but the task remains for anarchists and others to make this ocean into a reality. Footnotes19. Around 58% of urban households in Africa have no access to running water. See UNDP, "Human Development Report 2003", p104. return 20. For an example of such a project see Arunachalam, "Reaching the unreached: How can we use ICTs to empower the rural poor?". return 21. Newsforge, Los Angeles LUG [president] resigns over military Linux use, 21 April 2004. return 22. Nick Hill, re: Should we use Linux at all?, 23 April 2004 (A)return. 23. Open Source Initiative, The Open Source Definition. return 24. Free Software Foundation, The Free Software Definition. return 25. Nick Hill, re: Should we use Linux at all?, 23 April 2004 (B). return 26. Hill, "re: Should we use Linux at all?" (A). return 27. For more on software censorship of the internet see http://www.peacefire.org. return 28. Stallabrass, "Digital Commons". return . | |