Re: [Fsuk-manchester] The free software movement's dilemma

[Robert Burrell Donkin]

A little bit of linguistic jujitsu follows :-)

On Sat, Mar 23, 2013 at 8:42 AM, Michael Dorrington
<address@hidden> wrote:

<snip>

> Young people have been coding computers since they were available to
> them.  Early home computers either booted into a programming environment
> or it was accessible from the menu the computer booted into.  This
> encouraged many people to code.  Some of the coding was used to give
> users software freedom but some of it was used to enslave users, divide
> them and make them helpless.

This language hides a communication trap, I think

Using 'slavery' as a metaphor belittles anyone who falls short of
ideological purity, presenting an image of 'users' as mere passive
objects in contrast with fully human beings who use only Free
Software. Probably good for internal solidarity but perhaps a poor
linguistic choice for outreach.

'seduction' is often adopted as an alternative. So

  "some of it was used to enslave users, divide them and make them helpless."

might become

  "commercial interests seduced users into thinking they were helpless
slaves and divided themselves into tribes worshipping particular
brands"

This phrasing associates more positive messages of potential
empowerment and enlightenment with Software Freedom

(And yes, this is the trick that Open Source so successfully played it
the late 90's)

Robert
[1] Biblical, rather than phonic