Software Freedom Day 2011

Last saturday was Software Freedom Day , this is the first time I heard about this event and I represent WordPress User Group Singapore this time to promote our user group meetup.

The event is really interesting, although the event is not really crowded, but I manage to meet a lot of interesting people, example there is this aunty bring her children and check with us what is WordPress, there are some WordPress user surprise that there is a WordPress user group in Singapore and there are developers which talk to us about their usage of WordPress.

So enough of WordPress , times for some info about Software Freedom / Open Source. Basically I believe there are 2 misunderstand on Open Source.

1. Open Source are free as in beer.
2. Open Source support should not charge.

A lot of user pick up Open Source because of cost issue, when you ask them why you use Open Source , the first answer that pop up always is “Because is Free” , but they don’t really understand the “Free” in Open Source means freedom, which mean that you are allowed to edit, modify and redistribute.

I see before the user actually get angry because of Open Source support with charging , they are shout like why need to paid ? I can teach you for free, what they are missing Open Source need to have a better eco to support it, the code is free, but the business building on top will have a charge, because of all these charging , the developer then can continue to give back to the community.

I would say WordPress is a good example, the business eco which include premium themes, hosting, premium plugins which are pushing the WordPress community forward, to be frankly speaking just base on community is not enough. A premium themes company might be able to sell few premium themes to support the company financial , this allow them to release some great premium themes for the community too.

I have prepare a slide for the WPUG for the Software Freedom Day, too bad it I can’t make it auto run in the event and never prepare a big screen for it, so I just share it here.