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Open Source, Open World
New submitter Ian Grant writes "This article takes a brief look at open source software in Brazil and how it's transforming tech use in South America: Bringing free software to Brazil, however, is not just a matter of copying North American practices. The idea of free software has also been substantially transformed through contact with Brazilian politics. In the United States, the open source software community has long had libertarian leanings, which have only strengthened over time. The core tenet of free software, after all, is giving the users freedom to do what they want. ... And when free software was finally embraced by business, many members of the movement welcomed it as a validation of their ideas. The business-friendly side of free software is easily visible in Brazil, too. Many Brazilian companies, for example, use Linux. At the forum in Porto Alegre, commercial free software was well represented by large foreign companies, many of which appeared to be there primarily for recruiting. Yet the forum also showcased another side of Brazil’s place in the world of free software — a key meeting place of free software and leftist politics. "
'open source' had it's chance. If something out of Brazil succeeds to the assumption, it deserves a new name.
Great! When can we start tearing down the borders?
“He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
How is this measured?
A poll might be a start...
Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
Here we go with the lip service toward open source, while Slashdot hires Microsoft tech writers and prints articles about Apple and Google.
When's the last time you saw an article about a new distro? You don't. Those get rejected.
getstudio1337.com
About a Brazilian!
About the "Reserva de Mercado de Informática" (computer market reserve), from TFA: "The policy lasted through the mid-1980s, and its legacy has been disputed ever since. For some, it was a heroic battle of David against Goliath that left Brazil stronger, even though it eventually lost the fight. For others, it was a nationalistic boondoggle that deprived a generation of Brazilians from access to good foreign computers."
I am from that generation -- the policy was incredibly short-sighted. It meant that all PC software was pirated, all (nationally made) computers were "clones", rip-offs from computers made elsewhere in the world. I had a Microdigital TK-82-C (which was a rip-off from a Sinclair ZX-81) and later a TK-2000 (a rip-off from an Apple II+). TK-2000 was quite a frustration, in fact, because in the name of originality they changed some stuff in the ROM, and it was different enough to have trouble with lots of computer games. Later I had a PC-XT and a 286 built from parts smuggled into the country (mostly it came through Paraguay).
So here we are, a generation of Brazilians whose government taught to smuggle, pirate and clone technology... open source software comes to save the day.
I wish open source would divorce the free software/libre crowd. They make contributing thoroughly unpleasant. I'd rather volunteer my time to the sanitation department.
There is a growing left wing in South America but there is also a deeply established and quite violent right wing. For example many Priests and Nuns as well as other Christian workers have been murdered in South America as Christianity is considered a radical, left wing doctrine there. The rich and powerful seek to maintain their positions and any movement that is felt to be a threat to the power of the right wing tends to let lose the butchers. If they see open source as some sort of socialist or communist tainted notion then violent conflicts will surely follow. Even the idea of sharing with others may offend some of the old, stuffed shirt, aristocrats. I can not bring myself to scream kill a right winger for Jesus but I do come close to it.
That whole argument is totally bogus. You might as well argue that Free software is fundamentalist Christian because Michael Meeks supports it. Or Free software is fundamentalist atheist because Richard Stallman supports it
Each and every one of us uses free software...open source software... etc etc for any number of reasons. Putting labels on things and writing articles like this only serve to dumb people down.
up until about a year ago I used to work on a Sports MMORPG that (while produced in Europe) was very popular in Brazil and the rest of Latin America.
When the suits eventually tried to "monetize" the game, one thing we found is that pretty much every copy of Windows in use in those markets is pirated and nobody cares - so the incentive for Linux is non existent.
I've programmed professionally in both the USA as an American in the 90's, and in Brazil for about 6 years until I started doing remote contracting for US companies. I contributed modestly to open source in both countries.
In Brazil it was pretty eye opening to see how the programming market is pretty much 90% paid by the government in one form or another. Truly private companies are few, even fewer are smaller startups. In the USA I didn't even know anyone employed by the government as a programmer - I guess because I didn't live in Virginia or Maryland (Pentagon and NSA). And in Brazil for white collar work, its jobs for life as its mostly impossible to get fired - there's very little turn over.
I mention this because while I worked with Brazilian programmers that were often great - I suspect because in Brazil you mostly need a degree for a job so the bar is higher - but its about as far from USA style libertarian culture as you can get. One quick example: There is a 60% VAT on imported computers and anything electronic, in effect about double the USA retail price on Chinese imports. There would be a revolution in most world countries if that was tried there.
Brazil has greatness in many ways - its where I live happily. But there is nothing libertarian about it currently or trending that way. I say that as someone who often votes and supports USA libertarian candidates.
Ideals are not.
Politics? Fuck off!
LMAO, it's true. Watch the penguins downmod me for it, so predictable.
There are at least two different schools of "libertarian" thought. There are right libertarians like Ron Paul and left libertarians like Noam Chomsky.
BE AFRAID....
It might be because Brazil's harsh import duties make anything electronic cost about a brazillion reais.
If it cannot be monetized, there is no need for it in a civilized society