Essence of Free: Freedom and Passion

From Part 2 of The Essence of Free: Free as in Freedom, Free as in Beer

CHAPTER TWO

Freedom and Passion

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It was a beautiful autumn evening when I first became acquainted with the open-source world. The leaves on the trees were barely beginning to evolve into crimson wonders, and the sun was pouring in through my window. Following the day at school I took my usual bus ride to the public library, where I presented my membership card and gained access to one of the computers available. It wasn't an especially enjoyable experience, with the virus-ridden machines, mis-matched monitor resolutions, and the annoying classical music they blasted through the sound system, but I had nothing else to fill my time with, so I decided I might as well kill time surfing the Internet.

About a year back, while on vacation, I discovered podcasts as a way of filling my Creative Zen Vision:M media player with free content that would keep me entertained during the ride home. For those of you who may not know what a podcast is, it's an episodic audio or video broadcast that is available for download. They're kind of like radio and television shows catered to your interests that you get from the web. The first podcast that I ever downloaded was one called Pottercast, a podcast devoted to the Harry Potter universe of books and films. Because I didn't have Internet at my home at the time, I downloaded twenty or so episodes. Later, as I finally got Internet at home and began to explore the world of podcasts, I found a daily podcast that I became quite enamored with called Buzz Out Loud. It is a technology show from CNET, where they used to discuss the daily technology news (it has since moved to a weekly schedule). On that particular day in the library, it just so happened that a new release of something called Ubuntu had been released and merited a brief mention on the show. During the days they would record the episode live, and a small group of listeners would get together in the chat room to natter on while listening to the show. I was happy to be a part of the chat during the summer, but when school recommenced, I had to give it up.

I could almost always count on someone being in the room at any given time, so I thought I'd pop in and see what was going on. There were just a few people in there, but some of them were still talking about some of the things mentioned on the show earlier. One of the topics was something called Ubuntu, which I learned was an operating system (like Microsoft Windows or Mac OS X), which had just seen a brand-new release. I ended up chatting with one of the regulars about it, who had tried it, and she began to recommend that I give it a go.

What is an operating system?

Before I go on I should explain what an operating system is.

You probably have a computer. I want you to think about it: how do you operate it? How do you log on, how do you launch the Internet browser, how do you find programs, or close windows, or listen to music? Think about everything you do on your computer, and how you do it.

An operating system is the way that you accomplish those tasks on your computer. On a deeper level it manages everything to make sure your computer works together to help you do what you need to do, and on the surface it's what you see when you look at the screen and how you interact with it. Although you might have used one or two operating systems before, you may not realize that there are hundreds of them out there.

You see, your computer isn't a single entity; it's a collection of different parts that work together to accomplish a single goal. It's kind of like a car. You have an engine, an exhaust system, wheels, and a steering wheel to control its movement. Cars are made up of thousands of individual parts and pieces, but they all come together to do a perform a single task: to get you from where you are to where you need to be.

The same applies with a computer. The parts fit together and work as a system. But, like a car, it can't just operate itself. It has to have someone or something tell it how fast to go, what laws to obey, and which direction it should be going. This is where an operating system comes in.

The operating system is what most people think of when they think of a computer. It's the collection of instructions that tells the different parts how to work together, and on the surface it's what you see when you interact with a computer: the way programs are installed, how they look, and how different parts come together to help you accomplish your tasks easier and more quickly.

The Start of Something Big

I started reading up on what Ubuntu was, how to pronounce the darn name (“Ew-boon-two”), and decided that I would download it and try to install it when I got home. After the hour-long journey I turned on my laptop, went to the site, and downloaded the disk image. I did some Googling to find out how to make an install disc, then I popped it into my DVD drive and waited for it to boot. I was nervous about doing anything that could potentially screw up my hard drive, but I was assured it would be fine.

An option appeared to try the operating system without installing it, which I did. I waited for it to load everything, and before long, I found myself looking at an exotic, unfamiliar desktop. The second the interface appeared and that classic brown, coffee-stained wallpaper appeared, I knew I had stumbled upon something spectacular. This wasn't just a typical operating system, it wasn't some “Mickey-Mouse” piece of software, this was a polished, thoughtful product. There was something about it that just wasn't common to the computers that I had been accustomed to using.

It had character.

It wasn't some overly-flashy display, it wasn't a cutesy color, and it wasn't some cheap knock-off; it was unique, simplistic, and elegant. From the brown bars, to the bundled software, to that special wallpaper, it had flair and personality.

Running it from the CD wasn't going to be enough for me. I was still too chicken in those days to commit to a real installation, but the performance of running it from a CD wasn't very practical. I messed around with it that night, then the following morning I got up early and rode with my Dad to town, where I went to buy a USB flash drive so I could throw Ubuntu on that. I was extremely excited. I came home, created a USB startup disk, and started to fool around with it.

That was one of the funnest Saturdays I've ever had.

Fast-forward just a short while and I committed to a full installation. In order to appreciate how well the system works, you really have to take the dive. I started using it full-time for my videos, music, documents- like it was designed to be used.

I would sit upstairs in my new room, with the window wide-open and the new album from the Fray blasting through Rhythmbox, the default music player. I would do homework with OpenOffice, the open equivalent to the Microsoft Office suite that has since been replaced by LibreOffice. During all of it, I would spend my time learning about computers by listening to podcasts, all the while getting a feel for Ubuntu.

“Ubuntu is an ancient African word meaning 'humanity to others'. It also means 'I am what I am because of who we all are'. The Ubuntu operating system brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the world of computers.”

-About Ubuntu

Although I had used open source applications before, I never knew anything about it until Ubuntu. The Welcome to Ubuntu dialogue that I discovered in my first install mentioned open source, and that made me curious to learn more. Over time, Canonical, the company that funds a large portion of the project, has developed a vast collection of information on their website for people who are interested in learning more about open source.

The real definition may only interest people like me, with neck-beards and gooby-do glasses, who are intrigued by software code and licenses. At the heart of it, I don't think that's what the spirit of the word is about. It may have started with the technological definition of being unencumbered with things like royalties and restrictions, but the implications of open source extend to everyone, user and “power user” alike, and can even take on a deeply powerful meaning on the physical world, not just in the software world.

The idea of open source is exactly what it sounds like. It means that anyone may view the program's “source code,” or basic instructions, and are free to view it, improve it, and even drastically alter it. Essentially, you are free to do with it as you wish.

While those principles define an entire class of software, it also exemplifies the spirit of the philosophy that it embodies. The implications of free culture can change the world- for everyone, not just geeks.

Free as in Beer

As it turns out, I was familiarizing myself with the free culture movement long before I was introduced to Ubuntu, but I didn't realize it.

Remember those podcasts that I mentioned earlier? When I first discovered them, I couldn't believe I had stumbled upon something so entertaining and captivating for free. People were taking their own time to produce content about something they cared about- be it Harry Potter, computers, or any other topic imaginable. Not only were they investing their time into recording, editing, and distributing content, but they were doing so at no charge.

People often confuse just exactly what free means. There's a saying in the free software world that there are two definitions of free: free as in freedom and free as in beer.

The 'free as in beer' aspect is what just about everyone thinks of when they hear the word “free.” Over time, for some reason, it has become the de-facto definition. For some reason, concern over money has taken precedence over the concern for liberty.

That being said, the “no-money required” definition is still quite important, especially for people who don't reach out and try to embrace the other side.

Free is a price that interests people. Free ice cream is substantially better than $5 ice cream. Free admission beats nabbing a $100 ticket. People have traditionally grown up with the idea that good things inherently must cost more than those of lesser quality. In reality, I think the opposite can be true. All over the world there are people who love to create things for others to enjoy, completely free, just for the joy of doing what you love and having others appreciate your for it. They do it because they're passionate about something, and want to share that passion with the rest of the world.

That's a radically new way of thinking about the world, and it not only perplexes some people, but also infuriates them. Throughout the rest of this book I will examine the impact of the free culture on society and the free market.

Why does the idea of passionate people producing free content infuriate some people and businesses? It all comes down to money and the bottom line.

Thirty years ago, if you wanted to watch something on television, you had to tune into the exact right channel at the exact right time. You were treated to twenty-two minutes of television, and eight minutes of commercials. During those eight minutes, the television stations were delivering advertisement right into your home, and they were making tons of money from partners and ad agencies. Not only that, but you were reliant on the same few channels for all your content, and ultimately they controlled what you saw and when you saw it.

Now, in a world of constant connectivity, that is no longer the case. You can see what you want whenever you wish. You can get content from hundreds of commercial providers, and hundreds of thousands of independent enthusiasts. The television and radio stations aren't just competing between themselves any more- they're competing with independent artists and content producers.

The free culture revolution is just beginning. Media conglomerates and entertainment companies don't want people to figure out that they can find better, more carefully-crafted content for free. Instead of taking risks and producing gripping, resonating material, they run reality shows and hilariously terrible sitcoms. They're in the business of selling and making money, not in the business of entertaining and endearing audiences.

But that's where the free (as in beer) content comes into play. When you're not interested in peddling products to your viewers, it becomes clear that your interests are in having fun and doing what you love. Essentially, it relates back to your passion (more on that later).

So, why do people produce such quality content for free?

It all comes back to that special 'C' word: community.

It's all part of that ethos that I was talking about. As I quoted from Jono Bacon earlier in the dedication of this book, “All over the world there are many people who are united in creating software, content, and culture that is freely available for others to share, enjoy and enrich their lives. Together we believe that freedom is good. We believe it helps people do good things, make better choices, and lead safer and more secure lives. Together we are a community united by this belief.”

So why is the price of “free” so important?

It levels the playing field. It takes the economic factor out of the equation. What it means is that everyone deserves to pursue what they love and be surrounded by communities that reflect what they're passionate about.

Where Passion Comes into Play

Let's take a minute and reflect. I'll do so by sharing a little of my own story. When I started Avery County High School I was a little disheartened. The high school experience wasn't really agreeing with me, and I felt as if I were simply going drifting through the same daily cycle. I didn't really enjoy my classes, the people were strange, and the hour-and-a-half classes dragged on into what turned into very long, tedious days. I would often think back to Beech Mountain, and Cranberry, where I had attended school for my final year before high school, and wished more than anything that I could just turn the clocks back a year to be where I was happy.

At that same time another big change was happening in my life. For a while my family and I had been daydreaming about living somewhere else, where you could go out for a burger and be back within a few minutes, or pick up a fresh loaf of bread any time you needed one instead of stuffing it in the freezer. Over time, we started looking for such a place, even though we all knew it was nearly impossible for us to leave our home at that time. One night Dad stumbled across a house while surfing the web, so we decided to drive out and give it a once-over one day when we needed to kill some time. A sunny day quickly presented itself, so we hopped into our Jeep, put the top down, and drove to Elizabethton, Tennessee. From the onset I loved the house, as did my family, so Dad called the owner while we were waiting for our meal to arrive at a restaurant. To our surprise, the owner was nearby and was enthusiastic for us to come take a look at it.

He walked us through the house, and within the frame of a few minutes we all collectively knew that this was something we needed to pursue. We began to discuss the plausibility of making the move, the logistics of doing so, and trying to figure out how to bring up the conversation with my grandmother, who we had lived beside for so long. After a serious conversation or two, she agreed that it would be the best for everyone, and wished us the best of luck. My parents put in an offer on the house, and although the deal wouldn't close for about a month, the owner was generous enough to let us come in to clean and paint.

That was the point at which time began to speed up. The days seemed to be getting shorter, mainly due to the fact that immediately following school we would all drive down and work on the house. We would blast music on the radio while we cleaned the baseboards and painted the walls. We would throw the windows open and enjoy the calm night air, then before we left to go back home we would grab a bite to eat and sit down as a family at the picnic table we put in our garage. We were close, we were excited, and I had the thing that I needed most: a place to escape and relax. I felt right at home. Time continued to fly by, and before long, the house was officially and legally ours. We moved in on Halloween night.

Moving was something that I was excited about, but as soon as the new wore off, I found myself in the same rut I had found myself in before. Turns out, the answer to the secret that I was missing was right in front of my nose the entire time: I had nothing that I was really excited about.

Retrospectively, I didn't have a passion.

The first semester came to an end, much to my delight, and before I knew it the holidays were over. I had a new class schedule, but one course in particular caught my eye: Principles of Technology.

I have had a good idea about what I want to do for a career most of my life, so when I was told that Principles of Tech was the best place to start before moving up in the computer engineering pathway, I didn't hesitate.

The first time I met Mr. Hardin I knew that I had met someone truly remarkable. His eccentric personality is matched only by his dedication and care, and that was evident from the second that I set foot in his classroom. To this day, he remains the most energetic person that I have ever known.

The first day of any class is fairly predictable: the teachers hand out their syllabus, they discuss their expectations, and then you fill out contact forms. None of that was the case with Mr. Hardin. He introduced himself, scared the crap out of us with a story involving losing all his fingers in a lawn-mower accident (as I will discuss later, stories are the way that we connect with others as part of a community), then he handed out books and told us to start working, which we did.

Something about that really connected with me. The course consisted of eight or so books, each with four sections complete with student exercises, math labs, labs, and a test, and we were expected to do all of that in the period of a single semester. We worked at our own pace, my friend Landon and I worked through the math, and it became clear that this was the type of learning environment that I thrived in.

But it wasn't just Landon that I learned to work well with (although we do make a great team); I came to meet many incredible people, and I started to learn to be a better team player and connect with other people.

As it turned out, looking back, what I had discovered was a family (community). That was just freshman year, but as we kept going through the years reaching ever toward graduation, we only grew closer. It was like having a support group of like-minded people that you just looked forward to seeing when you went in every day.

That initial class went by fast, but I wasted no time in signing up for additional courses. When all was said and done, I had taken around six of Mr. Hardin's classes, and overwhelmingly, all of us came back again and again to take them together.

Without even realizing it, I found exactly what I was looking for: I found my passion. I was looking for something that I would be excited about, but it ended up finding me. Each day I got to spend my time building computers, making models, doing labs, and generally doing creative and awesome things, all the while surrounded by people that understood me and were an absolute joy to be around. I no longer had trouble connecting with other people, and that felt great.

Why was Mr. Hardin so energetic? He certainly wasn't in it for the money, considering the average salary of a teacher. And he wasn't in it in order to show off or get recognition. He did it because it was genuine, and was the result of doing something he was passionate about. I honestly don't think he ever looked at his job as something that he was forced to do on a daily basis; I think he viewed it as an opportunity to do something he loved and help make a difference.

Community + Passion = Happiness

Notice that money is nowhere in that equation. It's all about doing what you love and having a great time while doing it. Does that mean that money is evil? Not necessarily. For the time being, money is a necessary part of life. I do feel that we focus on it entirely too much. The whole point of life, for me at least, is to love what you do and be happy about getting to do it. If you're putting care and effort into something, and if you're doing so with the right frame of mind, money has a funny way of finding it's way to you. Does that mean you don't ever have to worry about your financial present or future? No. What it does mean is that there are other things more deserving of your time and attention.

You see, I found something I enjoyed, classes that meant something to me, and friends that made the experience unforgettable, so I no longer felt like I was just going through the motions. I made the trip from Elizabethton to Avery County every day for three and a half years, and I never regretted it because I was doing something I honestly cared about with people I connected with.

Free as in Freedom

The “freedom” aspect of free is pretty much the topic of discussion for the entire remainder of this book, but I may as well sort of introduce it and try to get you thinking about what freedom means to you. Because, as much as we try to define it precisely, different people have different views of the word. That's a good thing, though, because it genuinely does have different implications for different people.

Freedom is something that a lot of people think they understand, but a lot of times they don't. Americans, in general, have a half-baked sense of freedom. We're born into a “free” society, and have it drilled into our heads all the way to adulthood that it's flawless and infinite. Generally speaking, freedom is something that a lot of people have and take for granted, and is something that others want more than anything in the entire world.

It's also something that you have to fight for. In the world of imperfection and egotism, there's always something or someone that wants to limit your freedom in one way or another. That means, of course, that some times you have to take a stand a make a few sacrifices.

How important is freedom?

Freedom is absolutely essential to our success, individually and for the world as a whole. It is, perhaps, our finest accomplishment. I don't think I'm alone in thinking that. Consider with me, for a moment, the role that freedom plays in religion. Islam, Judaism, and Christianity all trace their roots back to the days of Abraham. Shortly after the events of Abraham, all three religious texts detail the account of the Israelites' exodus from Egypt. The story goes that Moses, a Hebrew who was ordered to be murdered in a decree by Pharaoh, was placed in a basket in the Nile river to escape death. Pharaoh's daughter discovered the basket floating downstream, and eventually adopted the child as part of Egypt's ruling family.

The child grew up wealthy and powerful, then one day he came upon an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. Filled with anger, he slew the Egyptian, then buried him in the sand. Knowing that he would likely be put to death for the murder of the Egyptian he fled Egypt and became a shepherd. One day, while tending to a flock, he came upon a burning bush in which God had embodied. God instructed him to to return to the Pharaoh and help deliver his fellow Hebrews from the bonds of slavery. He returned, and after several refusals from the Pharaoh, God sent 10 plagues upon Egypt and the Pharaoh reluctantly agreed to let the Hebrews go.

You see, this classic account from the Bible illustrates an important lesson that I think people fail to comprehend when reading that passage. The story is meant to highlight how important the idea of freedom is. If it's an important foundation to all three major religions, clearly there's something to that idea.

So we've established that freedom is important, but why is it so important? To what extent does freedom reach, and what are the implications of failing to recognize its importance? What happens if we stop fighting for our freedom and we simply let it fall to the side?