In the past, most software I used was paid and proprietary and would have some sort of limitation that I would try to get around by any means possible. Sometimes that would be resetting the clock on my computer, disabling the internet, and other times downloading a patch.
But in the past few years I’ve stopped using those things and have focused only on free and open source software (FOSS) to fulfill my needs. I hardly have to worry about privacy problems or trying to lock down a program that calls home. I might be missing out on some things that commercial software delivers, but I’m hardly aware of what they are anymore. It seems like the trend is for commercial software providers to migrate toward online or service models that have the company doing all the computing. I’m opposed to that, since they can take away your service at any time.
What do you do?
I use FOSS whenever possible.
Paid Software Experience:
- “Hi, Thanks for choosing us! Please sign into or sign up for your account! You agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy right?”
- “Great, and thanks for your purchase! Did you know we have a limited time sale on our Ultra Pro Superprofessional Edition?”
- “No? Well we also have a monthly subscription plan that can get you very cool features! Wanna check that out?”
- “No? Alright we’ll get on with installation. But first, we need to make sure you’re not running a VM, VPN and other software we don’t like from our handy DRM software.”
- “Oh, that DRM software also happens to collect your contact information and read your files so we can sell that for money. Thanks and enjoy!”
FOSS Experience:
- Aight you got enough disk space? Here’s the GPL. Where we droppin? Cool, enjoy your program! Support me if you feel like it, bud!
Much like yourself I always try and use FOSS first and haven’t pirated software since my teena
🎵 FOSS FOSS FOSS, FOSS it up! FOSS FOSS FOSS, FOSS it up! 🎵
About 20 years ago, I saw this exact same discussion on mozillazine. Everyone was raving about FOSS being nicer, friendlier, and more convenient, and how piracy is bothersome.
Then this guy posted a reply, to the tune of “Yeah, and now imagine your entire OS was like that… you should try it.”
A little later I did, and never looked back. For me, FOSS is convenience.
I use Arch btw.
FOSS. I don’t even own a Windows partition.
Haven’t used windows in 16 years. People try to get me to fix their computers because I’m a developer, but that shit is foreign to me!
If you are on high quality trackers, there’s a lot of Linux stuff nowadays as well.
Except for games I use FOSS on my Linux desktop and on my Android phone. The FOSS alternative is often better than the proprietary software.
I use mosly free foss apps. It’s has become a hasle to use programs that force online acounts. Kinda hate it when a app is slowly turned into a weird web app with heavy drm. And exploitive licenses
FOSS over piracy for sure. While the UI and/or functionality is not often as good as the proprietary option with FOSS apps, I feel a lot more comfortable using them because they are free and you can see what’s going on with them better.
100% FOSS. I never use pirated software with the exception of games, and even that is rare.
I only use free software. Not all of it is FOSS, but a most of it. Well, I do use Linux so using some pirated windows software is a lot more annoying.
I always perfer FOSS whenever possible.
I figure if someone out there is working on a project and wants me to use it, I owe it to them to at least give it a shot.
Occasionally, the proprietary stuff is the only option. And occasionally-occasionally that company isn’t worth supporting or the price is unreasonable or more than I could afford. In which case, perhaps some seas are sailed.
I don’t pirate software. Usually closed-source, proprietary garbage has a lot of sketchy stuff built in already, and I don’t have the energy to reverse engineer every cracked binary blob I download to make sure it doesn’t have spyware or ransomware or anything. Just pirate media, not software.
Mostly FOSS since moving from Windows to Linux, still use the odd proprietary software (pirated of course).
With the recent rumors that Microsoft is moving to move Windows in its entirety to be cloud based I feel like I switched to Linux at the right moment.
FOSS has come such a long way that I don’t need proprietary software anymore for most tasks. The commercial software I use for work is ‘free’ anyway.
So true! It’s kind of impressive ngl. I have been using only FOSS application for a few years now and I did not even realize that I have strictly switched to FOSS apps. Except maybe some few apps but that also on my phone and not my desktop.
Exactly. Unless it is some specific tool for a specific task it is FOSS all the way. I think the only pirate software I have DLed in years was VOCALOID for my daughter. Installed it on my sacrificial laptop for testing first before putting it on hers.