Free Software or Nothing

Let me be absolutely clear: proprietary software is unethical. If you’re using proprietary software, you’re supporting digital slavery.

The Four Freedoms

Free software means you have the right to:

1. Run the program for any purpose
2. Study how the program works
3. Redistribute copies
4. Modify the program and distribute modifications

Every proprietary program violates these freedoms.

The Moral Argument

Digital Slavery

When you use proprietary software, you’re:

• Surrendering control to corporations
• Accepting surveillance as a feature
• Supporting vendor lock-in
• Enabling digital rights management

This is digital slavery. You don’t own your computer—the software vendor does.

The Surveillance Economy

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// This is what proprietary software does
function trackUser() {
  sendData({
    keystrokes: captureKeystrokes(),
    websites: getBrowserHistory(),
    location: getGPSLocation(),
    contacts: readContacts(),
  });
}

Free software doesn’t spy on you because you can see the source code.

The Technical Argument

Security Through Obscurity is Not Security

Proprietary software claims security through:

• Closed source: “Trust us, it’s secure”
• Binary blobs: “We can’t tell you what this does”
• Encryption: “We can’t tell you how this works”

This is security theater. Real security comes from:

• Open source: Anyone can audit the code
• Transparency: You know exactly what it does
• Community review: Thousands of eyes find bugs
• Reproducible builds: Verify the binary matches the source

The Backdoor Problem

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// This could be in any proprietary program
if (strcmp(user, "NSA") == 0) {
    // Grant unlimited access
    return ROOT_ACCESS;
}

You can’t know if proprietary software has backdoors because you can’t see the source code.

The Economic Argument

Vendor Lock-In

Proprietary software creates:

• Switching costs: Can’t migrate data easily
• Dependency: Vendor controls your workflow
• Price gouging: No competition once locked in
• Abandonment: Vendor can discontinue support

The Microsoft Tax

Every Windows computer pays the “Microsoft tax”:

• Licensing fees: Pay for the privilege of being spied on
• Hardware requirements: Need more powerful hardware
• Support costs: Pay for problems Microsoft created
• Training costs: Learn Microsoft’s way of doing things

The Innovation Argument

Free Software Drives Innovation

Look at what free software has created:

• Linux: Powers the internet
• Apache: Web server standard
• MySQL/PostgreSQL: Database engines
• GCC: Compiler that builds everything
• Git: Version control system

Proprietary Software Stifles Innovation

Proprietary software:

• Patents everything: Prevents others from innovating
• Creates monopolies: No competition means no innovation
• Vendor lock-in: Prevents switching to better solutions
• Closed ecosystems: Can’t integrate with other tools

The Practical Reality

“But I Need Proprietary Software for Work”

No, you don’t. Every proprietary program has free alternatives:

“But Free Software is Harder to Use”

Bullshit. Free software is:

• More reliable: Doesn’t crash randomly
• More secure: No malware, no spyware
• More customizable: Modify it to work your way
• More efficient: Doesn’t waste resources

The Stallman Test

Ask yourself: “Would I be comfortable if everyone used this software?”

If the answer is no, don’t use it.

The Bottom Line

Free software is the only ethical choice because:

1. Freedom: You control your computer
2. Privacy: No surveillance, no tracking
3. Security: Transparent, auditable code
4. Innovation: Drives progress, doesn’t stifle it
5. Economics: No vendor lock-in, no artificial scarcity

Proprietary software is digital slavery. Free software is digital freedom.

Choose freedom. Choose free software.