Subj : Re: GNU Public Licences Revisited (again)
To   : comp.programming
From : Serge Skorokhodov (216716244)
Date : Tue Aug 30 2005 07:38 pm

Gerry Quinn wrote:

>>> I don't believe you want to leave anything more than a 
>>> skeletal and effectively useless remnant of IP, rather as 
>>> communist states left a skeletal and effectively useless 
>>> pretence of freedom.
>> 
>> Be carefully about comparing various countries' freedoms:) I
>> believe that you are informed (I would even say
>> indoctrinated) about many ways the Soviet were not free
>> compared to the American. Still I do believe you know
>> nothing about many freedoms the Soviets did enjoy while the
>> American didn't even imagine its possible:). I just can
>> compare all pros and cons:).
> 
> 
> Would you care to give examples of such freedoms?

Sure:)

Just imagine that you can really be fired, for example:)
Practically, if one isn't involved in politics and setting cases
of real serious professional incompetence aside, there used to be
no reason to be afraid of losing one's job:)

If you are not aimed at military controlled areas, you can move
around without any "Private property. No trespassing!" signs.
Canada is much better than the US in this respect, but still...

Ill-famed KGB was actually a joke compared with tax authorities
in the US or Canada:) I couldn't even imagine what a real
surveillance is:)

Actually, when I was young (I'm 48 now) my life was much more
fun. Well, it was expensive to get a decent fishing tackle. But
it was much easier to find plenty of quality fishing time:)

Yes, we were not well off. But I wouldn't say that most people
lack freedom rather than more material stuff, I'm sorry to say:(

> One objective distinguishing feature might be which countries
> build walls to keep people out, and which countries build
> walls to keep people in.

Actually, the end of the USSR has rather little to do with
freedom. It has a lot to do with sausage though. Economically it
was a disaster:( Most people try to get to America for simple
economical reasons and just cover this simple motive with
"freedom" word.

Personally, I respect only two groups of people that benefit from
the fall of the soviet empire. First, it is those who couldn't
realize their potential in the soviet system. Second, those who
need free information exchange. These were major drawbacks of the
soviet system. Unfortunately, most people go to the West for
other reasons:(

-- 
Serge

.