[YeGoblynQueenne]

>> But if techno monstrosities can use open source software to create upheaval, so can anyone else.

The thing is, most people don't want to create upheaval. Most just want to make money. Because in our modern capitalist democracies, money is the highest value, the moment someone has power, or knowledge that goes beyond the ordinary the first thing they do is try to make it make money. And if they succeed- well, out goes all the democratic, free-thinking, hacking ethos.

This is not an easily hackable system. You need people who have skills and knowledge and also, well, let's say higher ideals. People who don't care about money because they can have all of it that they want, but who decide they prefer to go Buddha, and give everything to the poor. To actually "make the world a better place", by not selling you stuff.

Are there people like that? I doubt I've ever met any.

[tonic-music]

Very true. But I do believe it's possible to create a profitable company around ethical, open source software that doesn't create user lock-in and doesn't steal people's data or sell them out. That's exactly the aim of The Mimix Company.

[c22]

There are people like that, but they tend not to amass enough capital to make any major impact because it's very hard to make money ethically. Also, they're not looking for recognition so they engage in very little self-promotion.

[jonjacky]

Aren't Richard Stallman, Linus Torvalds and other free software authors and organizers 'people like that'? Those two, and others as well [1], have been very productive and more influential than most rich entrepeneurs.

1. https://github.com/rekihattori/awesome-programmers

[nixpulvis]

Well, not that anyone is perfect, but Bill Gates does give a lot of money to charity.