For a long time I've been thinking to write about FSF. Now I found some time to write. It is a non-profit organization created by Richard Matthew Stallman in order to create freedom in software world. You can find all information about FSF and and about software freedom in the internet. What I wanted to share is my own personal experience with open sources.As a physicist , what ever computational tool I am looking for, I always found a solution in the open source.Few years ago it was a nightmare to install linux in a PC., but now distributions like ubuntu are much simpler to install and also every application has GUI, so new users don't have to know any liunx commands.(see my screen shots).
There is big difference in the quality of work when you do it as a job and when you do it for your own interest. Professional softwares developed by big software companies may have pleasing visuals effects, good GUI and sometimes good functionalities, but still they lack something. The freedom to modify, freedom to make your own version. The response from the open source community for bugs is really amazing. They commit themselves and try to make it better and better.
I started as a normal user. When I see the quality of work they are doing and their commitment, I wanted to something. I am not a good programmer otherwise I could have contributed as a developer. So I decided to become associate member , so that the membership money will help them a bit. Still I am proud to say that I am a open source user and a member of FSF( you can see my membership logo in this blog). I encourage everyone to join FSF and promote software freedom.
