The idea of Free Software has many connotations. Some people think of Free Software as – Free, as in Beer. Others will think – Free, as in Speech.
Yes, Free Software to many people will mean that they don’t have to pay for it. It’s kind-of like going to a party at someone else’s house – you get to drink beer for free – but somebody had to pay for it. Of course, you could always chip in when someone is making a beer run, or you could bring a six-pack yourself. But parties are happiest with a good group of people, so there is individual choice in how you participate. The important thing is everyone has a good time, and the host knows what he is getting in to when he invites people to a party.
Free Software means something very different to others: Freedom, as in Speech.
Free Software has a rich history dating back to its inception in the early 1980’s by Richard Stallman. The goal of that movement was, and is, to give computer users freedom. Freedom to use their computers and devices without being shackled to a corporation. Freedom to use, study, develop and improve on the software. A ‘license’ for the software was created granting these rights.
From this beginning grew the Linux operating system and thousands of programs to perform a myriad of tasks. Other free operating systems also existed, new ones were developed, and the Free Software movement inspired others to build on it in a myriad of ways, and new licenses were developed to further the movement in different ways and in different directions.
Home automation is one of the coolest geek things a person can do.
Who doesn’t want their porch light to automatically turn on when they pull up in the driveway? Who wouldn’t want the hallway light to automatically turn on to 10% in the middle of the night if they are walking down the hallway? Isn’t it cool that I can buy a little button that I can stick anywhere, and use it to turn on and off another vendors creation?
Who couldn’t benefit from the promise of convenience and security that home automation can offer to us? Unfortunately, home automation comes with a price. Most of the gear is a little on the expensive side, and most of it requires some kind of subscription, but that is not the real price of home automation. This stuff comes with hidden costs.
Did you know:
- Many of these devices send all of the video and audio back to the vendor
- If you integrate two vendors devices you are probably connecting through a 3rd party, and all 3 can gain ‘customer insights’ by knowing what you do
- Even some Free Software vendors use these 3rd parties.
Free needs to evolve.
We need to be Free from being the product. We need freedom from surveillance. We need the freedom to benefit from technology without these hidden costs.
