[FC-discuss] Free Software and Free Culture

[Asheesh Laroia]

On Thu, 31 May 2007, Seth Johnson wrote:

> How have free software advocates *not* "switched" to free culture?

Well, Mike asked what "switching" means.  Does it mean choosing to use 
only music that is licensed to its listeners under certain terms?  Does it 
mean refusing to use DRM-laden media?  Or is it something more ethereal, 
maybe: living with the understanding of what your fair use rights are?

For example, I don't buy music from the iTunes music store.  I do listen 
to a lot of liberally-licensed music, but I buy even more 
all-rights-reserved music from the DRM-less eMusic.com store.  I even 
sometimes watch commercial DVDs on my roommate's Sony PlayStation.  I 
watch a lot of movies on YouTube (lately with Gnash, thankfully!).  I read 
text that is all rights reserved, like that of John Irving and Neal 
Stephenson.  I am also a Free Software advocate.

In the admittedly rare event that I create art, I do it with purely Free 
Software, or no software at all.

Seth, I'm curious - would you feel I have already "switched" to Free 
Culture?  I ask to try to bring out the meaning of this "switching".

-- Asheesh.

-- 
The Law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich, as well as the poor,
to sleep under the bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread.
 		-- Anatole France