Inquiry: They should use open source software

Statement: They should use Open Source software. (People and organizations that spend money on proprietary software when they could use Open Source equivalents.)

  1. True?
    Yes. Feels true sometimes. Can find stories saying it is true. Can find people agreeing.
  2. Sure?
    No. Not at all. Just one perspective. One angle that has one grain of truth.
  3. What happens when I believe that thought?
    • A slight frustration comes up. Slight agitation. Annoyed.
    • I tell myself stories about why they should use Open Source software. It supports the Open Source model, encouraging people to adopt it to other areas than software. If it is a non-profit organization, they could use their money something else than expensive software. And the same for individuals.
    • I may mention the possibility of using Open Source software, but it has an edge to it when I talk about it so it is uncomfortable and feels off.
    • I notice edginess in myself, an attachment to a certain attitude, so I don’t say anything about it. I withhold information that could be useful to them.
  4. Who would I be without it?
    • More receptive. Clear. Curious. Sense of spaciousness and possibilities. Not attached to a position.
    • Free to mention – with receptivity – the possibility of using Open Source. Supporting them in whatever they choose. Free from a sense of right or wrong around it.
  5. Turnarounds.
    • They shouldn’t use Open Source.
      • Right. There are many reasons why they don’t, or chose not to even when presented to the option.
      • They may not be aware of Open Source, or know enough about it to trust it.
      • They may also not trust me as an authority on the subject. (Additional statement: “They should trust me”.)
      • They may need functions only available through proprietary solutions. This is sometimes the case for high-end work in graphics and other areas.
      • They may want to support proprietary solutions. They may see it as driving innovation in the field, and Open Source as following behind. (Sometimes accurate, for now at least.)
      • They may want to spend the money for other reasons, such as taxes.
    • I should use Open Source software.
      • Yes. In a literal sense, that is true. I save money that way. I support the Open Source model. It is aligned with my own values.
      • Also, my thinking should be Open Source software. When I inquire into it, the inner workings and dynamics around stories and beliefs are revealed more, which is helpful to me. Also, when I do it in public – such as in this journal – it is revealed to others, which may (or may not) be helpful to others.

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