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diff --git a/pragmatics/pragmatics.man b/pragmatics/pragmatics.man new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c3dba40 --- /dev/null +++ b/pragmatics/pragmatics.man @@ -0,0 +1,215 @@ +PRAGMATIC USE OF NONFREE SOFTFWrAeReE(S1o)ftware CPoRmAmGuMnAiTtIyC USE OF NONFREE SOFTWARE(1) + + + +AABBSSTTRRAACCTT + Free Software is undoubtably a good thing for society. However, modern + computer users are stuck in the proprietary "ecosystem" for historical + reasons. This document describes the author's viewpoint of using pro- + prietary platforms to spread the ideas of Free Software. + + +SSTTAATTUUSS OOFF TTHHIISS MMEEMMOO + This document is currently in the DRAFT status. + + + This document describes the author's viewpoint. This does not repre- + sent the ideas of the Free Software Foundation or any other entity. + Distribution of this memo is unlimited. + + +IINNTTRROODDUUCCTTIIOONN + Readers of this memo probably understand the ideals of the Free Soft- + ware Movement, and avoid proprietary software when possible. However, + as most outsiders are unaware and are deeply buried inside the propri- + etary dystopia created by mostly multibillion-dollar technology coorpo- + rations, our methods of communicating with the masses are ineffective. + + + In February 2022, the author decided to adjust his dogma, and permitted + limited usage of nonfree chat platforms to hopefully spread our ideas + to the general public. This was attempted by registering a Discord ac- + count, creating a Guild called "Free Software Introductions", and set- + ting up a basic Discord-to-IRC relay to #fsi on both irc.andrewyu.org + and irc.libera.chat. + + + One of the communities that he knows about, the VF-Technic Minetest + community, primarily uses Discord as a means of communication by plays + not in-game. As the users inside are Minetest players, a Free Software + voxel sandbox game, similar to but much more flexible and freedom-re- + specting than Minecraft, it is believed that the users have some con- + tact with Free Software, although they might not understand the freedom + part of the issue, i.e. they might be thinking in terms of "open + source" instead. After sharing the invite link in the VF-Technic + Guild, some people joined, and we've partially converted two users. + + +JJUUSSTTIIFFIICCAATTIIOONN + Two users is definitely few, but it sets a start and an example for how + freedom can be spread. + + + There are numerous free replacements to proprietary services such as + Discord, such as Internet Relay Chat, the Extensible Messaging and Pre- + sense Protocol, the Matrix protocol, and email. As Free Software ac- + tivists, we generally prefer these protocols over nonfree services. + This section explains the reasons to consider nonfree services and pro- + tocols. + + + Generally, users on IRC and XMPP have a fair understanding of the Free + Software Movement, and it is quick and easy to inform them what we mean + by "free", "the four freedoms", and similar ideas. For users on the + Libera Chat IRC network, which by far has the most users of any net- + work, it is exceptionally easy to introduce a user into the #fsf chan- + nel for discussions with people supporting Free Software. Introducing + ignorant users on these protocols and platforms are a day-to-day simple + task. + + + Furthermore, the amount of users we can reach on these protocols are + rather limiting. Libera has around forty thousand users according to + the UUSSEERRSS command, and considering the fact that around 90% of these + people aren't ignorant, there isn't much we can do. + + + Matrix users, in particular users of the matrix.org homeserver, typi- + cally know but don't completely understand Free Software. Rather than + using Matrix IDs to identify users, the Matrix specification specifies + that third-party platform identities, such as email and GitHub, are how + users should be referenced both internally by servers and shown to + other users. This is obviously an increadibly foolish idea, especially + considering the use of centralized identity servers (similar to X509 + certificate authorities) for 3PIDs. These are our first targets, but + these should also be easy to get the idea across. + + + It is true that Libera Chat and similar IRC networks, though multi-cen- + tered in a technical way (i.e. multiple IRC servers form an IRC net- + work), the network is politically centralized, controlled by one en- + tity, Libera. The Internet Relay Chat server-to-server protocol im- + plies that servers fully trust each other and are expected to not send + damaging commands, which in turn implies full trust between server op- + erators, no federation, and political centralization. The privacy pol- + icy and network policy of Libera Chat are in the author's opinion non- + intrusive, therefore the use of which is acceptable and is promoted by + the FSF. (Obviously, most methods of using IRC do not involve nonfree + software.) + + + Nevertheless, those that have never touched Free Software are often on + giant proprietary platforms, and take these as universal methods of + communication. Many people go months before checking their mailbox + (physical or electronic), refuse to use XMPP or IRC for its age. + + + An alternative protocol, Internet Delay Chat, is being developed. + + + There is one special case where using some nonfree software, and even + urging others to use it, can be a positive thing. That's when the use + of the nonfree software aims directly at putting an end to the use of + that very same nonfree software.[RMSGP] The author believes that the + following fall within this scope: + + + +o Developing a free program that requires nonfree environments to + bootstrap; + + +o To spread awareness of software freedom issues to users in nonfree + environments. + + + + As almost all types of programming can be done on most types of BSD and + GNU operating systems, the author hasn't found any software that fit + this category. Extending the interpretation allos for using nonfree + software's behavior as a reference in Free Software development, though + an arguable programming practice, may help the community to progress by + understanding common features that users of nonfree services use. + + + The latter is more interesting, as explained above our methods of + spreading awareness is limited. + + +AACCTTIIOONN PPRROOCCEEDDUURREE + Activists MMUUSSTT NNOOTT list such nonfree services in "Contact Information" + pages on their website or similar sources, unless followed by a expla- + nation that the purpose of the nonfree platform is to introduce users + thereof onto free protocols and to eventually exterminate the nonfree + platform. Whenever these references to nonfree platforms appear, the + author MMUUSSTT present free methods of communication. Activists SSHHOOUULLDD + pragmatically use as many of the popular free protocols as possible, to + ensure that oppurtunities of introductions are not lost. In cases in- + volving competition between free and nonfree protocols and platforms, + ethical concerns (i.e. enabling talking to a new user on any ethical + platform) MMUUSSTT take precedence over technical concerns (such as dislik- + ing the XMPP protocol for its inefficent use of XML) whenever possible. + + + Communities for introducing users to Free Software on nonfree platforms + MMUUSSTT be bridged to a free protocol in some obvious way, in order to + minimize the usage of nonfree platforms even for the purpose of commu- + nicating ideology to new users and allow members of the Free Software + community refusing to use nonfree platforms in any way to participate. + Usages of nonfree platforms, besides part of the user-introduction + process that must happen on the nonfree platform, SSHHOOUULLDD be avoided. + + + For example, the author created a Discord Guild called Free Software + Introductions, which is one-way-puppeted to #fsi on irc.andrewyu.org, + which is then one-way-puppeted to Libera. The relay system is sort-of + messed up, but it's working. Inviting new users to it via https://dis- + cord.gg/7CYp7ntww7 <https://discord.gg/7CYp7ntww7> is good, but as the + author has made his own sacrifice already, there exists no need for + other existing Free Software activists to join and use it instead of + IRC. + + +TTEECCHHNNIICCAALL LLIIMMIITTAATTIIOONNSS + The old and centralized nature of IRC, the insane 3PID recommendation + of Matrix, the bad routing and efficency of XMPP, and the lack of docu- + mentation on PSYC, has led us to develop a new protocol, Internet Delay + Chat[IDC], which aims to be free, modern (i.e. support for channel + groups and shared permission sets, non-text data with MIME types), sane + (i.e. TCP, UDP and SCTP-based, instead of HTTP POST APIs) and simple. + + +CCOONNCCLLUUSSIIOONN + Hi + + +FFSSFF CCOONNSSIIDDEERRAATTIIOONNSS + Hi + + +BBIIBBLLIIOOGGRRAAPPHHYY + [IDC] Andrew Yu The Second School Affiliated to Fudan University In- + ternet Delay Chat <https://git.andrewyu.org/internet-delay- + chat>2022 + + + [RMSGP] + Richard Stallman The GNU Project Is It Ever a Good Thing to Use + a Nonfree Program? <http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/is-ever-good- + use-nonfree-program.en.html>2013 + + + +AACCKKNNOOWWLLEEDDGGEEMMEENNTTSS <<!!----7777uuuuMMaannyy tthhaannkkss ttoo iiSShhaarreeFFrreeeeddoomm,, qqrrppnnxxzz,, DDiiffffiieeHHeellllmmaann,, + LLeeaahh RRoowwee aanndd mmaannyy ootthheerrss ffoorr tthhee iiddeeaass ((aanndd rreebbuutttteedd aarrgguummeennttss)) iinn + tthhiiss aarrttiiccllee..---->> +CCOONNTTRRIIBBUUTTOORRSS + Many thanks to everyone in the Free Software community for the freedom + we have today. + + +AAUUTTHHOORRSS + Written by Andrew Yu. + + + + +Free Software April 202P2RAGMATIC USE OF NONFREE SOFTWARE(1) |