[AktiviX] Media Hacklab open meeting this Sunday

[Asa Winstanley]

On Thursday 06 May 2004 15:34, Charlie Harvey wrote
> | It's interesting to hear "anti-capitalists" arguing in
> | favour of warez copies of windows and supportative of
> | activists spending their free time and energy learning how
> | to support the products of monopoly capital!
>
> Don't forget, though, that most food is currently distributed by
> "monopoly capital", and many of us aren't necessarily opposed to
> people "acquiring" that - even if it's better to be in a
> permaculture project, or grow yer own :-)
>
> Didn't read the archive though - I suspect I'd've been equally
> annoyed

I share some of your feelings, but we're in danger of eliteism. 
Most people -even in the west- have never heard of the FSF and 
think that (for example) RealPlayer is free software because you 
can get it free. 

Though I think you were taking the Mick of 
anarchists/anti-capitalists, Charlie, I sort of agree with your 
analogy. Anti-capitalist tend to be open to learning the free 
software alternatives but are not going to stop using Windows, 
Quark, Premiere etc. just like that tomorrow - even where there 
are free alternatives. They think it's stupid to be purist about 
free software for its own sake, simply for the that same reason 
that anarchists don't stop using money - life-styleism  gets us 
nowhere.

asa


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