BruceSchneier has a good argument for the use of FreeSoftware in his latest CryptoGram. First, he explains the various ways you’re giving away control of your computer: Entertainment industry (via CDs and DVDs), antivirus software, Internet services, applications, and automatic software upgrades. All of them are taking away some of the control you (should) have over the machine and the software you bought. He concludes:
If left to grow, these external control systems will fundamentally change your relationship with your computer. They will make your computer much less useful by letting corporations limit what you can do with it. They will make your computer much less reliable because you will no longer have control of what is running on your machine, what it does, and how the various software components interact. At the extreme, they will transform your computer into a glorified boob tube.
You can fight back against this trend by only using software that respects your boundaries. Boycott companies that don’t honestly serve their customers, that don’t disclose their alliances, that treat users like marketing assets. Use open-source software – software created and owned by users, with no hidden agendas, no secret alliances and no back-room marketing deals. ¹
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