I’ve noticed a pattern in software distribution. It usually works like this:

  1. corporation develops software idea and releases it (think Facebook)
  2. whether it’s “freeware”, subscription-based, or a one-time paid software, the user pays in one form or another (think Facebook selling user data to marketers, Basecamp, or Microsoft Office)
  3. Hardcore users (opensource & general programming community) democratize the software, releasing under creative commons, GPL, or other licenses – free for public use (think Diaspora, Gimp, Open Office)
  4. Initial program takes a slight usage hit but usually somewhat inconsequential (Firefox, Chrome)
  5. The next big software idea rolls out, making older platforms obsolete

Since the whole Web 2.0 craze in the early 2000s, have been profiting from user data. Free services require registration so that the data can be sold to advertisers and other corporations that use it for whatever they are allowed by law (and sometimes, not allowed).

Users tend to be oblivious or apathetic to concerns of privacy, security, identity, and general exploitation thereof: This has to stop.

While I think business is good (and necessary), I think big business often neglects to see the whole picture and the detailed picture simultaneously. It neglects to respect users, or even identify them as people. Rather, it treats them as sources of income and statistical data – not expendable – afterall, they fuel the software – but not really human either.

How do we stop this?

We take over the last step. We replace the new software with already democratized software, written by the people, for the people. We don’t mine data or harvest identities. We build communities where creativity and capability are values learned early in childhood. And we stand up and fight for eachother; against greed, corruption, exploitation, malice, and all those things that split us apart.

Idealistic? Yes. Possible? Yes. Likely? We’ll see…