Why I love free software

| geek

Update 2023-12-28: Added French translation by Mindiell

Update 2023-03-06: Added Italian translation by Etica Digitale

Update 2020-07-17: Spanish translation by victorhck

Image description:

  • (Image: shelves full of gifts) Text: Free software is like having more gifts than I can even imagine.
  • (Image: building blocks) Text: Each gift is a building block that I can have fun with.
  • (Image: me playing) Text: Whee!
  • (Image: blocks with people in them, labeled “What if?” “I need…” “We did it!”) Text: More than that, each block is a glimpse into someone else's life.
  • (Image: blocks glued together) Text: I can combine things with bubblegum and string…
  • (Image: hand with an outline) Text: … to make something that fits me so well.
  • (Image: path with notes, with a stick figure in the distance) Text: I try to leave notes along the way.
  • (Image: gift in outstretched hands) Text: Sometimes I can even make my own gift.
  • (Image: two gifts on a shelf, with space between them) Text: There's always space.
  • (Image: A person picks up a note on a path and saying “Thanks!” There are lots of other paths that split off and explore other interesting Text: places.) Sometimes people find my things helpful…
  • Image: (me picking up a note further down the path and also saying “Thanks!”) Text: … just as I find other people's things helpful.
  • (Image: “Free software” with wiggly lines surrounding it, growing outwards) Text: So, bit by bit, we grow.

You can see this image in context on the Free Software Foundation's blog post about their summer fundraising campaign.

You can comment with Disqus or you can e-mail me at sacha@sachachua.com.