Ask HN: Am I the only one who feels bad for using free software?
So, I'm going through a disillusionment with free software after I read a couple of post here on HN about the struggle of some developers with maintaining their projects both financially and emotionally. This feeling has grown on me to the point i've began avoiding using most free software besides some i can't live without, and to these projects i donated the amount i could as a student from a developing country (in case you're curious, i donated $2 to Mozilla, Wikipedia, Sumatra PDF, Tab Session Manager, Cookie AutoDelete and Calibre; as i use these software everyday). Still, i feel bad as the "free software contract" is not clear as in paid software: am i donating enough or am i just reaping the hard work off a stranger all the way around the globe? This is an uncomfortable position, as I don't like the feeling of stealing the hard work off of anyone and don't want to put myself in that position either. So, how do you guys cope with these feelings? 2 comments on Hacker News.
So, I'm going through a disillusionment with free software after I read a couple of post here on HN about the struggle of some developers with maintaining their projects both financially and emotionally. This feeling has grown on me to the point i've began avoiding using most free software besides some i can't live without, and to these projects i donated the amount i could as a student from a developing country (in case you're curious, i donated $2 to Mozilla, Wikipedia, Sumatra PDF, Tab Session Manager, Cookie AutoDelete and Calibre; as i use these software everyday). Still, i feel bad as the "free software contract" is not clear as in paid software: am i donating enough or am i just reaping the hard work off a stranger all the way around the globe? This is an uncomfortable position, as I don't like the feeling of stealing the hard work off of anyone and don't want to put myself in that position either. So, how do you guys cope with these feelings?
So, I'm going through a disillusionment with free software after I read a couple of post here on HN about the struggle of some developers with maintaining their projects both financially and emotionally. This feeling has grown on me to the point i've began avoiding using most free software besides some i can't live without, and to these projects i donated the amount i could as a student from a developing country (in case you're curious, i donated $2 to Mozilla, Wikipedia, Sumatra PDF, Tab Session Manager, Cookie AutoDelete and Calibre; as i use these software everyday). Still, i feel bad as the "free software contract" is not clear as in paid software: am i donating enough or am i just reaping the hard work off a stranger all the way around the globe? This is an uncomfortable position, as I don't like the feeling of stealing the hard work off of anyone and don't want to put myself in that position either. So, how do you guys cope with these feelings? 2 comments on Hacker News.
So, I'm going through a disillusionment with free software after I read a couple of post here on HN about the struggle of some developers with maintaining their projects both financially and emotionally. This feeling has grown on me to the point i've began avoiding using most free software besides some i can't live without, and to these projects i donated the amount i could as a student from a developing country (in case you're curious, i donated $2 to Mozilla, Wikipedia, Sumatra PDF, Tab Session Manager, Cookie AutoDelete and Calibre; as i use these software everyday). Still, i feel bad as the "free software contract" is not clear as in paid software: am i donating enough or am i just reaping the hard work off a stranger all the way around the globe? This is an uncomfortable position, as I don't like the feeling of stealing the hard work off of anyone and don't want to put myself in that position either. So, how do you guys cope with these feelings?
Hacker News story: Ask HN: Am I the only one who feels bad for using free software?
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October 05, 2020
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