The Handbook of Information and Computer Ethics

Book Review Chapter 10:

Ethical Interest in Free and Open Source Software: FRANCES S. GRODZINSKY and MARTY J. WOLF

Library Reference: N/A

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Information-Computer-Ethics/dp/0471799599/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232853902&sr=8-1

Quote:  “Freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits”

     This is what basically good hackers do. Unfortunately though, there are some who doesn’t consider this and use it elsewhere or for their own benefit.

Learning Expectation:

     This chapter is basically about the comparison and argument of which is better of the two. So basically, I want to know the difference of the two and what is the better. It is said that the distinction of between the Free Software and Open Source Software would be argued. It is interesting to find out the distinction of both from one another.

Review:

    So basically, the chapter is an argument and comparison of FS, which means Free Software and OSS for Open Source Software. Histories, philosophies, and their development will be examined. The first that came though was the Free Software, which was developed by Richard Stallman in the 1980s, and eventually served as a foundation for important and related movements have become possible because of the Internet and it is said that Open Source Software has ought to be the most important.

It is interesting to note how Stallman stated his pursuit of the four freedoms that are essential for free software. Freedom to run the program for any purpose, and Freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs are two of Stallman’s four freedoms that are essential for free software.

Eventually, they concluded that Free Software and Open Source Software has had a positive effect on the software development community. Although, it is noted that Stallman’s four freedoms are not considered by people but as stated in the last lines of the conclusion, “the Free Software movement can be credited with providing an impetus for establishing notions of freedom for other types of digital media, such as the Creative Commons (creative -commons.org).”

What I’ve learned:

    It is interesting to learn the Stallman’s pursuit of the four freedoms that are essential for free software, which I find very meaningful or like strong. The words are strong and very direct. I just wonder why people would not consider them as I find it quite interesting.

Questions:

1.    Why would people not consider the four freedoms?

2.    Will people eventually consider it in the future?

3.    Why the need to compare the two?

4.    What would most people choose?

5.    How can it prevent people from using it wrongly?

Citation: (Kenneth Einar E. Himma & Herman T. Tavani, 2008)