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diff --git a/talermerchantdemos/blog/articles/en/compromise.html b/talermerchantdemos/blog/articles/en/compromise.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..29d6d65 --- /dev/null +++ b/talermerchantdemos/blog/articles/en/compromise.html @@ -0,0 +1,279 @@ +<!--#include virtual="/server/header.html" --> +<!-- Parent-Version: 1.86 --> +<title>Avoiding Ruinous Compromises +- GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title> +<style type="text/css" media="print,screen"> +<!-- + .quote { + font-size: 90%; + max-width: 30em; + padding: .5em 1.5em; + background-color: #ececec; + border-radius: 1em; + -moz-border-radius: 1em; + -khtml-border-radius: 1em; + -webkit-border-radius: 1em; + -opera-border-radius: 1em; + } + .quote.imgright { margin: .3em 1em 1em 1em; } + .quote { + font-style: italic; + } + .quote b { + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + } + .imgleft { + width: 18em; + max-width: 100%; + } + +@media (max-width:50em) { + .imgleft, .imgright { + float: none; + display: block; + margin: auto; + } + .quote { + max-width: none; width: auto; + margin: 1em 10%; + } +} +@media (min-width:50em) { + .quote { max-width: 40%; } +} +--> +</style> +<!--#include virtual="/philosophy/po/compromise.translist" --> +<!--#include virtual="/server/banner.html" --> +<h2>Avoiding Ruinous Compromises</h2> + +<address class="byline">by Richard Stallman</address> + +<blockquote class="quote imgright"><p>“Twenty-five years +ago <a href="/gnu/initial-announcement.html">on September 27, 1983, I +announced a plan</a> to create a completely free operating system +called GNU—for ‘GNU's Not Unix’. As part of the +25th anniversary of the GNU system, I have written this article on how +our community can avoid ruinous compromises. In addition to avoiding +such compromises, there are many ways you can <a href="/help/help.html">help +GNU</a> and free software. One basic way is +to <a href="https://www.fsf.org/associate/support_freedom/join_fsf?referrer=4052"> +join the Free Software Foundation</a> as an Associate +Member.”—<b>Richard Stallman</b></p></blockquote> + +<p>The free software movement aims for a social +change: <a href="/philosophy/free-sw.html">to make all software +free</a> so that all software users are free and can be part of a +community of cooperation. Every nonfree program gives its developer +unjust power over the users. Our goal is to put an end to that +injustice.</p> + +<p>The road to freedom +is <a href="http://www.fsf.org/bulletin/2008/spring/the-last-mile-is-always-the-hardest/"> +a long road</a>. It will take many steps and many years to reach a +world in which it is normal for software users to have freedom. Some +of these steps are hard, and require sacrifice. Some of them become easier +if we make compromises with people that have different goals.</p> + +<p>Thus, the <a href="http://www.fsf.org/">Free Software +Foundation</a> makes compromises—even major ones. For +instance, we made compromises in the patent provisions of version 3 of +the <a href="/licenses/gpl.html">GNU General Public License</a> (GNU GPL) so +that major companies would contribute to and distribute GPLv3-covered +software and thus bring some patents under the effect of these +provisions. </p> + +<img src="/graphics/gplv3-large.png" alt=" [GPLv3 Logo] " class="imgleft" /> + +<p><a href="/licenses/lgpl.html">The Lesser GPL</a>'s purpose is a +compromise: we use it on certain chosen free libraries to permit their +use in nonfree programs because we think that legally prohibiting +this would only drive developers to proprietary libraries instead. We +accept and install code in GNU programs to make them work together +with common nonfree programs, and we document and publicize this in +ways that encourage users of the latter to install the former, but not +vice versa. We support specific campaigns we agree with, even when we +don't fully agree with the groups behind them.</p> + +<p>But we reject certain compromises even though many others in our +community are willing to make them. For instance, +we <a href="/distros/free-system-distribution-guidelines.html"> +endorse only the GNU/Linux distributions</a> that have policies not to +include nonfree software or lead users to install it. To endorse +nonfree distributions would be a <abbr title="ruinous +(rū'ə-nəs) adj. 1. Causing or apt to cause ruin; +destructive. 2. Falling to ruin; dilapidated or +decayed.">ruinous</abbr> compromise.</p> + +<p>Compromises are ruinous if they would work against our aims in the +long term. That can occur either at the level of ideas or at the level of +actions.</p> + +<p>At the level of ideas, ruinous compromises are those that reinforce +the premises we seek to change. Our goal is a world in which software +users are free, but as yet most computer users do not even recognize +freedom as an issue. They have taken up “consumer” +values, which means they judge any program only on practical characteristics +such as price and convenience.</p> + +<p>Dale Carnegie's classic self-help book, <cite>How to Win Friends and +Influence People</cite>, advises that the most effective way to +persuade someone to do something is to present arguments that appeal +to per values. There are ways we can appeal to the consumer values +typical in our society. For instance, free software obtained gratis +can save the user money. Many free programs are convenient and +reliable, too. Citing those practical benefits has succeeded in +persuading many users to adopt various free programs, some of which +are now quite successful.</p> + +<p>If getting more people to use some free programs is as far as you +aim to go, you might decide to keep quiet about the concept of +freedom, and focus only on the practical advantages that make sense +in terms of consumer values. That's what the term “open +source” and its associated rhetoric do.</p> + +<p>That approach can get us only part way to the goal of freedom. People +who use free software only because it is convenient will stick with it +only as long as it is more convenient. And they will see no reason not +to use convenient proprietary programs along with it.</p> + +<p>The philosophy of open source presupposes and appeals to consumer +values, and this affirms and reinforces them. That's why we +<a href="/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html">do not +advocate open source.</a></p> + +<img src="/graphics/gnulaptop.png" + alt=" [Levitating Gnu with a laptop] " class="imgright" /> + +<p>To establish a free community fully and lastingly, we need to do +more than get people to use some free software. We need to spread the +idea of judging software (and other things) on “citizen +values”, based on whether it respects users' freedom and +community, not just in terms of convenience. Then people will not +fall into the trap of a proprietary program baited by an attractive, +convenient feature.</p> + +<p>To promote citizen values, we have to talk about them and show how +they are the basis of our actions. We must reject the Dale Carnegie +compromise that would influence their actions by endorsing their +consumer values.</p> + +<p>This is not to say we cannot cite practical advantage at all—we can +and we do. It becomes a problem only when the practical advantage steals +the scene and pushes freedom into the background. Therefore, +when we cite the practical advantages of free software, we reiterate +frequently that those are just <em>additional, secondary</em> reasons +to prefer it.</p> + +<p>It's not enough to make our words accord with our ideals; our +actions have to accord with them too. So we must also avoid +compromises that involve doing or legitimizing the things we aim to +stamp out.</p> + +<p>For instance, experience shows that you can attract some users to +<a href="/gnu/why-gnu-linux.html">GNU/Linux</a> if you include some +nonfree programs. This could mean a cute nonfree application that +will catch some user's eye, or a nonfree programming platform such +as <a href="/philosophy/java-trap.html">Java</a> (formerly) or the +Flash runtime (still), or a nonfree device driver that enables +support for certain hardware models.</p> + +<p>These compromises are tempting, but they undermine the goal. If +you distribute nonfree software, or steer people towards it, you will +find it hard to say, “Nonfree software is an injustice, a +social problem, and we must put an end to it.” And even if you +do continue to say those words, your actions will undermine them.</p> + +<p>The issue here is not whether people should be <em>able</em> +or <em>allowed</em> to install nonfree software; a general-purpose +system enables and allows users to do whatever they wish. The issue +is whether we guide users towards nonfree software. What they do on +their own is their responsibility; what we do for them, and what we +direct them towards, is ours. We must not direct the +users towards proprietary software as if it were a solution, because +proprietary software is the problem.</p> + +<p>A ruinous compromise is not just a bad influence on others. It can +distort your own values, too, through cognitive dissonance. If you +have certain values, but your actions imply other, conflicting values, +you are likely to change your values or your actions so as to resolve the +contradiction. Thus, projects that argue only from practical +advantages, or direct people toward some nonfree software, nearly +always shy away from even <em>suggesting</em> that nonfree software +is unethical. For their participants, as well as for the public, they +reinforce consumer values. We must reject these compromises if we wish +to keep our values straight.</p> + +<p>If you want to move to free software without compromising the goal +of freedom, look at <a href="http://www.fsf.org/resources">the FSF's +resources area</a>. It lists hardware and machine configurations that +work with free software, <a href="/distros/distros.html"> totally free GNU/Linux +distros</a> to install, and <a href="http://directory.fsf.org/"> +thousands of free software packages</a> that +work in a 100 percent free software environment. If you want to help the +community stay on the road to freedom, one important way is to +publicly uphold citizen values. When people are discussing what is +good or bad, or what to do, cite the values of freedom and community +and argue from them.</p> + +<p>A road that lets you go faster is not better if it leads to the +wrong place. Compromise is essential to achieve an ambitious goal, +but beware of compromises that lead away from the goal.</p> + +<hr class="column-limit"/> + +<p> +For a similar point in a different area of life, +see <a +href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/19/nudge-is-not-enough-behaviour-change"> +“Nudge” is not enough</a>. +</p> + +</div><!-- for id="content", starts in the include above --> +<!--#include virtual="/server/footer.html" --> +<div id="footer"> +<div class="unprintable"> + +<p>Please send general FSF & GNU inquiries to <a +href="mailto:gnu@gnu.org"><gnu@gnu.org></a>. There are also <a +href="/contact/">other ways to contact</a> the FSF. Broken links and other +corrections or suggestions can be sent to <a +href="mailto:webmasters@gnu.org"><webmasters@gnu.org></a>.</p> + +<p><!-- TRANSLATORS: Ignore the original text in this paragraph, + replace it with the translation of these two: + + We work hard and do our best to provide accurate, good quality + translations. However, we are not exempt from imperfection. + Please send your comments and general suggestions in this regard + to <a href="mailto:web-translators@gnu.org"> + <web-translators@gnu.org></a>.</p> + + <p>For information on coordinating and submitting translations of + our web pages, see <a + href="/server/standards/README.translations.html">Translations + README</a>. --> +Please see the <a +href="/server/standards/README.translations.html">Translations README</a> for +information on coordinating and submitting translations of this article.</p> +</div> + +<p>Copyright © 2008, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 <a href="http://www.stallman.org/">Richard +Stallman</a>.</p> + +<p>This page is licensed under a <a rel="license" +href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">Creative +Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.</p> + +<!--#include virtual="/server/bottom-notes.html" --> + +<p class="unprintable">Updated: +<!-- timestamp start --> +$Date: 2020/10/06 08:00:28 $ +<!-- timestamp end --> +</p> +</div> +</div><!-- for class="inner", starts in the banner include --> +</body> +</html> |