software and morals

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:46:35 -0800
noblog

If it's morally wrong to support non-free software, then it's wrong to give users help with non-free software, because the help and the software license are complementary goods. The availabilty of help, even paid help, tends to increase revenue for the licensor of the non-free software.

But it's also wrong to refuse to help someone solve a problem, if you're able to help.

So, the only way to avoid committing either the wrong action of supporting non-free software or the wrong action of refusing to help someone is not to learn how to use the non-free software in the first place.