Computing Freedom Coalition/Massachusetts Should Use Free Software Exclusively

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[edit] Description

Governments in Massachusetts are increasingly dependent on software to operate. Citizens access important services via the Internet, and critical public documents are now digitally archived. Buying new software isn't like buying new desks and chairs for the office anymore. The makers of software now exert substantial control over how government operates.

Most software currently used by Massachusetts governments is like a black box. It's proprietary, which means that the government and its citizens are not allowed to look inside the box to see how it works. Proprietary software also comes with a set of restrictions that prevent the software from being modified or copied without explicit permission.

We place the fate of our democracy in the hands of a few private entities when we accept these restrictions on the technology we depend on for everything from social services to voting information. Government needs to serve the public interest, and so has an obligation to remain independent of such control.

Government choice of software dictates the software citizens are able to use to access information and services. If the government chooses a proprietary program---for example, to build its web sites---this often means that citizens will have to install another compatible proprietary program on their own computers in order to take advantage of the resource. In this way, the government locks its citizens into a relationship with a particular company and takes away their freedom to choose something different.

Fortunately, there is a solution. Massachusetts governments should begin switching to free "as in freedom" software. Free software is software that permits users to run, copy, distribute, study, change, and improve the software for any purpose. Because the source code for free software is publicly available, it is sometimes also called "open source". Being able to look inside the box is only one of several important aspects, though, so it is more accurate to use the term "free software".

There are thousands of free software programs already available. Free operating systems like GNU/Linux are fully capable of replacing the proprietary alternatives made by Microsoft and Apple. Many people are already using free software applications like Mozilla Firefox and OpenOffice.org. Governments could accelerate this trend with their support and encouragement.

Respecting freedom is reason enough to switch to free software, but there are practical benefits as well. For example, free software is generally more secure than proprietary software. The government can test and inspect the software directly, and benefit from the fact that people all around the world---because the source code is available--are inspecting the very same software for problems. When problems are discovered, they can be fixed much more quickly because the fixes don't have to wait on a single vendor.

Instead of handing the technological machinery of our democracy to small groups of individuals or businesses and locking our citizens into dependent relationships with these groups, governments should be using and supporting software that is publicly available and freely licensed. It's the only way to preserve the independence of Massachusetts governments from private interests, and the only way to respect the freedom of Massachusetts citizens.

Deval Patrick said of Massachusetts in his inaugural address, "American ideals were first spoken here, first dreamed about here. Our constitution is the oldest, and one of the most explicit about individual freedoms." If it is to continue as a lead advocate for individual freedoms, Massachusetts must recognize the negative impacts of its current software policies.

[edit] Submissions

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[edit] Misguided Comments

The following are comments left by people on the MyIssue page for this issue that we feel may reflect misinformation about or a misunderstanding of the primary concept behind free software, which is freedom. While we appreciate the vote in support of our issue, we feel the need to directly address these comments to ensure our message is not misunderstood.

Good thought, BUT OpenOffice and Google Docs are NO MATCH for MS Office.

Plus, there the support issue. Enterprises need support; posting questions to some usenet group and praying that someone answers it does not cut it in the corporate world.

– H.J. of Somerville

We thank you for your support of our issue. However, the comment you entered with your vote is a little worrisome to me.

There are a couple of things that I want to make clear so I know there's no misunderstanding.

Google Docs and Spreadsheets is not free software. It is a proprietary application over which Google has complete control. While I do personally admire Google's stance on ethics ("do no evil"), I would not recommend using Google's proprietary software for anything, especially an application that stores the resulting data on their servers. I'm confident that anybody who promotes, supports, or develops free software (not "open source") will tell you the same.

Have you used OpenOffice.org recently? I suggest you give it a try. A lot has improved with it, and it is today a complete office application suite, including a personal database application. You can download OpenOffice.org at no cost at http://download.openoffice.org/. If you don't have an Internet connection that is sufficient for downloading the installer, I'd be happy to send you an installation CD at no charge, along with many other free software applications that can run on numerous systems, including Microsoft Windows.

Regarding the support issue, the picture you paint couldn't be further from the truth. Sure, the individual hobbyist may feel comfortable with unpaid (gratis) support through newsgroups, forums, mailing lists, and the like. However, paid support for free software applications worthy of the "enterprise" label does exist. For example, OpenOffice.org offers free community support and commercial support/training. The OOo commercial offerings are available at http://support.openoffice.org/#cst. Another example would be the Ubuntu distribution of GNU/Linux. No cost community support is available on IRC, forums, and mailing lists, however anybody can also get paid support from Canonical Ltd. A detailed description of Ubuntu's support options is available at http://www.ubuntu.com/support

If you have any questions about anything, please feel free to contact me. You are always welcome to ask questions of the Binary Freedom members by subscribing to our independent free software activists list at http://www.binaryfreedom.info/mailman/listinfo/independentfreesoftwareactivists

Thank you again. Your support is appreciated.

– Cparker

[edit] External links

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