Software Freedom is "Activism" Because the Corporate Agenda Revolves Around Bribery, Deceit, and Betrayal
A very long time ago (about 20 years ago when I was working on my thesis) it became abundantly clear to me that Microsoft wasn't some ordinary company but more like a hostile cult thinking it was a country and constantly harassing not only me but also people around me. My focus on Microsoft was reactionary. I already told the many stories of how Microsoft threatened me, tried to censor me, and even this week it's siccing its people at me (like the ones it instructed to phone my employer). For instance, the latest SLAPP comes from a violent man who was in prison as a Microsoft employee, based on authentic, unsealed documents from the US authorities (it's also clear what put him there).
Promoting Free software with poetry, literature, code, documentation etc. is all nice and well. But once you start hurting some companies with Hubris, notably Microsoft, they will go after you and those around you. They're merciless. Some people already wrote about their experiences. If you don't upset them, then maybe you just haven't crossed some threshold yet. If you do something, say something, and if that something does anything to the bottom line of Microsoft, then you're "someone" and then it makes you a "target". It makes you a magnet for Microsoft whistleblowers, sure, but it also attracts nasty attacks because there is plenty of stuff they want to hide. The company commits many crimes and wants to get away with that. It then smears critics, e.g. throwing insulting words and slurs at them. Sometimes it's easier to nitpick and distort (that's what they did to Richard Stallman); sometimes it's a little more challenging, so they're willing to throw lots of money at lawyers to harass a man and his wife.
Software Freedom relies on "activism" because it confronts companies that don't play by the rules. They lie, they cheat, they ban people, and eventually it's all about power. If you're going to promote Free software and you want to be effective (not a "nobody" to companies like Microsoft), don't expect no challenges thrown your way.
At the end Software Freedom will win because it's on the same side as truth and lawfulness. It takes patience and perseverance. It's actually Microsoft that's running out of time. █
Photo credit: Richard Stallman signing a ThinkPad P14s of an engineering student after an event held in Polytechnic University of Turin, by DarkXFast
