mrskOct 14, 2024
Free Software Foundation Europe

Why isn’t software funded by taxpayers released as Free Software? 🤔💻

We need legislation 📜 requiring publicly financed software to be #FreeSoftware. If it’s public money 💰, it should be public code! 👨‍💻👩‍💻

Code paid by the people should be available to the people! 🙌 #PublicCode

👉 https://publiccode.eu/

https://publiccode.eu/en/

Oct 14, 2024 at 3:48pmWeb
Show thread*The* Paul BrownOct 14, 2024

@fsfe

And, here's what may be a revolutionary idea, if it is public code, that is, code that is free and open and deemed that it is in the general public's interest it should remain so, it should be able to access public money.

Do not cut off subsidies and grants for FLOSS!

Public Code > Public Money

Show threadderptronOct 14, 2024
@fsfe Not all public information is available to the public. Classified information is owned by the public but not available. Would you want the software that runs your tanks and nuclear subs to be freely available?
Show threadMOVED TO @[email protected]Oct 14, 2024
@crazyeddie @fsfe at the same time, im not entirely sure why nobody is allowed to audit software used for keeping health records
Show threadderptronOct 14, 2024
@halva @fsfe Yeah, in general the government should be gaining ownership of whatever is produced and then its work for hire and nobody can say boo if it's open sourced--where appropriate, which is probably most the time.
Show threadLambicOct 14, 2024
@crazyeddie @fsfe yes?
Show threadelgregorOct 14, 2024
@crazyeddie @fsfe It's the same as with any other government information: some can be specifically classified if there's a good reason, anything else should be public.
Show threadAlgoCompSynth by znmeb 🇺🇦Oct 14, 2024

@fsfe A fair amount of USA government-developed software *is* open source and has been for decades! When i worked at NASA in the 1970s we were releasing a lot of code, and long before the web, email servers were distributing LINPACK linear algebra code via email servers.

#PublicCode

Show threadAndyOct 14, 2024

@AlgoCompSynth @fsfe I’d love to know more on which agency’s are. Do you have any relevant citations or links you can share?

I can grok that early work was, fresh horizons are usually studded with idealism, but I feel as the tech inundation of outside low bid contractors are pretty much not caring about any sort of foss concepts these days.

Show threadAlgoCompSynth by znmeb 🇺🇦Oct 14, 2024

@LordofCandy @fsfe NASA for sure - here's their catalog: https://software.nasa.gov/

LINPACK and other packages are https://netlib.org/

Those are the only two I've used extensively. Many agencies publish machine-readable data with software for using it.

Home | NASA Software Catalog

Show threadMartin G. auf HubzillaOct 15, 2024
@Zorro Notorious MEB 🪷🪷🪷 @Free Software Foundation Europe Yfw you discover a git repository, and the code stats say it's 100% FORTRAN.
Show threadAleksandr7774Oct 14, 2024
@fsfe Согласен на все 100!
Show threadAndrew DearOct 14, 2024
@fsfe Subsidized software does have a ring to it.
Show threadTrump & Epstein: Biz partners.Oct 14, 2024

@fsfe
As a programmer, just b/c the project is public, doesn't mean my code should be as well.

Certain exceptions where release of the code is in the public interest, like code used on voting machines, is an exception. But if the software can be applied to other uses, the author deserves compensation for their hard work.

Show threadelgregorOct 14, 2024
@MugsysRapSheet @fsfe The author already got compensation when the government paid them. If you work for a company, do you get extra compensation for each new software copy sold by the company? Or when the company sells the source code? Or when the company opens the code? Of course not. You agreed to transfer copyright to the company and got paid for writing code. That's it.
Show threadTrump & Epstein: Biz partners.Oct 15, 2024

@elgregor @fsfe
Since I *do* write software, I can best explain this:

Say I was contracted by a gov't agency to write a program to guide missiles using AI, and that code was released to the public, whereupon Elon Musk used it to make millions self-driving cars.

You may say, "Hey, sorry, those are the breaks."

But what if someone like T**** ordered the military to hire me to write such an app for... say... $10,000 SPECIFICALLY so he could then give it to Musk to make millions off it? 🤔

Show threadelgregorOct 15, 2024
@MugsysRapSheet @fsfe Government paying to have software written specifically for a private company, without any benefit for the public would be a misuse of taxpayer money. But for you (as a programmer, not taxpayer or citizen) nothing changes - you get paid to write software. If you think the pay is too low or the goal is unethical, simply refuse.
Show threadTrump & Epstein: Biz partners.Oct 16, 2024

@elgregor @fsfe
I've been in that position. "Refusal" isn't an option.

Fortunately, I've never had my work repurposed by a private corporation for profit, but if someone did, I'd probably sue for royalties.

Show threadLeta_DarnellOct 14, 2024
@fsfe Can we AT LEAST have functioning helpdesks where we can ask a person from the company and not other people who just say 'I have the same problem and no one will help me?'
Show threadFrank McCulleyOct 14, 2024
@fsfe can we apply the same logic to prescription drugs that are developed through government grants
Show threadAlexanderMarsOct 14, 2024
@fmcculleynj @fsfe definitely, any public funding should mean the patents generated are also owned by the public. I would even support the exclusive licensing of those patents for corporate use with transparently negotiated fees, that went to the equivalent of a sovereign wealth fund. Government bailouts should also include riders that the public must profit from the transaction.