Revival of Free Software (4)

Lastly, I'm going to write the reason why I always feel the Free Software spirit from XOOPS and XOOPS Cube. When XOOPS Cube was forked from xoops.org, we got to plan to recover Free Software Activity at XOOPS. That's the revival of Free Software, and the revival of fun.

Why? The reason is that XOOPS had been pure Free Software. The XOOPS foundation smashed it, made the fear centralism that might Stalin likes and bans user accounts who like XOOPS by the reason that their love doesn't equal with foundation's love. But, don't forget that XOOPS had been pure Free Software.

When onokazu tried to develop MyPhpNuke and XOOPS1, most people didn't think that free software web applications will become "a seed of benefits". He wrote MyPhpNuke and XOOPS to learn how to write programs for his job. He is technical translator and wanted to translate technical factors more better. His effort to his job created XOOPS.

That's surely a action of Free Software.

XOOPS was one of pure Free Software Activity. After then, some people noticed that open source web applications bring benefits, So many new CMS were born. And, XOOPS was damaged by the XOOPS foundation. Now, XOOPS is often compared with other CMS, but XOOPS is one of nascent CMS that nobody did not tie it with business. I pay respect to onokazu's great works.

And our project is Revival of The Spirit that XOOPS had once. XOOPS Cube was written from a scratch, but XOOPS Cube has surely the spirit of XOOPS that was smashed by the foundation.

Revival of Free Software (3)

As I wrote at the previous entry, all open source projects are not about IT/Web. There are commentariats in Japan who like to talk about a relationship between free software and business activity, but they don't take notice to such projects. Perhaps they don't know that such projects are on the earth.

Each developer has each motivation. Anybody can't fix those. It's sure that some open source projects in some genres give something to some developers. But that is not only one motivation for developers. There are the following projects on the earth:

• There is no contribution to society.
  
• Developers use money, but they never get money.
  
• A project can not any changes to developers' career and developers' life.

However, there are developers who join to such projects. You don't need to analyze the psychology of the developers, if you are not psychologist. Anybody can not define motivations of developers who join to free software projects. Also motivations are freedom.

Some people asked me what benefits I get from XOOPS. And, some members of XOOPS community asked me whether the benefit is a motivation why I touch XOOPS. I think that they saw themselves. The reason why they feel that benefits were my motivation is that their motivation was benefits.

Developers act without benefits, if there is not uselessness.

Therefore, if you suspect a conspiracy of XOOPS Cube project because XOOPS Cube is IT/Web industry, that's idle speculation. You and we should use the energy to do it for other actions.

Revival of Free Software (2)

Japan IT/Web industry is brisk. When we were young, our dream is a baseball player. But, now, young people want to become web service creator and keep their efforts.

In this country, IT/Web Open Source Software (OSS) has important implications. It changes developers' career, makes developers' chance and gives something to developers' life.

Open Source Products are used for business activity very well, (in IT industry). Some people think that Open Source has to be talked with business activity. Of course, there are various open source projects that are not about IT/Web in this planet, but they might not know those exist on the earth. Anyway a project that tries to run DOOM in iPod is out of their sight.

Anyway, it's good that activities are brisk. But, because IT/Web OSS is brisk for business activities, XOOPS Cube has to be tormented by misunderstanding.

As you know, XOOPS Cube is one of primitive Free Software Activity. But, people don't think so, because XOOPS Cube is IT/Web OSS that is used for business activity for most people.

Somehow, there is the insistence that Free Software projects should collaborate with companies and business activity directly, in these years, in Japan.

As you know, the relation between Free Software and business activity was figured in previous decades. You read it at the FSF web site. It is not bad to discuss it again, but many people don't need to take time to redefine it. If they think that such a discussion is must for OSS improvement, I request them to pay notice to all projects that include a excellent project that runs DOOM in iPod. They hope that just a specific project is developed and use "OSS improvement" to speak in a roundabout way.

The XOOPS Cube project receives contributions from anybody, but doesn't collaborate with companies directly. A collaboration is not a duty of a free software project. This clear and primitive direction takes a balance between free software and business activity automatically.

Revival of Free Software (1)

In Japan, Open Source is often discussed with business activity. That's not bad. Formerly, we've gotten involved to Free Software Activity in a freenet that we've connected by using poor modem, when the internet and the word "open source" didn't still exist. In those days, those who are not interested in technology did not have taken no notice to our activity. Since the "Open Source" word was made, everything has been changed. Many many people became interested in Free Software and think to do something with Free Software now.

It's possible to do business activity through Free Software, because Free Software is freedom. But, Free Software Activity is not business activity. XOOPS Cube is one of primitive Free Software Activity. Therefore, I hope that XOOPS Cube is useful for busines activity and don't want to touch anything of business activity. The only thing that our project should do is keeping perfect freedom.

XOOPS Cube is in Public Domain. So anybody can contribute something to XOOPS Cube. XOOPS Cube doesn't check what is a contributor. He may be a student or a company. But, that is not important at all. The project doesn't need to plan to tie with a company and may keep to the stance to receive contributions from everyone.

Let me say that again. XOOPS Cube is primitive Free Software Activity. Existing other Free Software Activities have shown a way that we should go.

XOOPS as Free Software Activity has been damaged by f**k XOOPS foundation. So we have to revive XOOPS as Free Software Activity.