I think it’s more a matter of the ideals of the times, Foss was created in the 80’s, as I see it as an ideological child of the 70’s, a period of time where progress, optimism and idealism about creating a better future and a better world probably peaked.
Of course there is also idealism today, but it’s different, at least the way I see it, the sense of quick progress especially on the humanitarian side is gone, the decades of peace with Russia is broken, and climate change hangs as a threatening cloud above us, and the rise of China creates turbulence in the world order.
So although things maybe weren’t actually better in the 80’s, there are definitely aspects that look very attractive in hindsight.
But as I see it, the mentality for FOSS is now stronger than ever, because aside from idealism, it’s proved itself to also be a pragmatically good choice in many situations. But all the original founders and enablers are of course old today.
And complaining about how “people today” use technology is stupid, because chances are we would have done the same had it been available to us when we were young.
I disagree with your idea of real world turbulence affecting it. Things were going the wrong way even in 2005. Dotcom bubble, Iraq war, those things - maybe.
I actually think that USSR’s breakup is what long-term caused how our world has become worse.
Say, in terms of computers and mass culture too, they sometimes treat the 90s as a result of that breakup, but that doesn’t quite make sense, despite a few armed conflicts, it was a gradual process, CIS as an organization was treated as almost a new union in making even in my childhood.
That breakup has released a lot of dirty money into the world, and through not the cleanest people in western countries, too.
And ideologically - the optimist version of the Cold War ending was some syncretic version of the “western” and the “eastern” promises for the space-faring united future. And much of the 90s was about, often dystopian, but fantasies in the context of such an utopia.
IRL both optimist promises were forgotten. Thus the current reality.
Wow you are way off time wise, I spoke of the 70’s and 80’s. Everything you mention is AFTER that.
The Foss idea is early 80’s and EFF was created in the mid 80’s, and as I mentioned, based on the ideology of the 70’s.
The turnaround was after Carter when Reagan was elected, not just in USA, but also in most of Europe.
I actually think that USSR’s breakup is what long-term caused how our world has become worse.
I agree, but initially it was all cool, a lot of Europe achieved freedom and democracy, and the Soviet states turned to democracy. We even had cooperation between the West and Russia initially. Unfortunately Putin completely ruined that after he came to power in 1991, which is also around the time Linux started.
Wow you are way off time wise, I spoke of the 70’s and 80’s. Everything you mention is AFTER that.
I meant the “peace with Russia” part by that, sorry.
The Foss idea is early 80’s and EFF was created in the mid 80’s, and as I mentioned, based on the ideology of the 70’s.
Meant that exactly, that (in my perception) there’s something similar in that ideology with science fiction of the same time, cinema, electronic music, industrial design and general techno-optimism. Some kind of universalism, like in Asimov’s Foundation.
Unfortunately Putin completely ruined that after he came to power in 1991, which is also around the time Linux started.
1999, 1991 is Yeltsin, but one is a logical continuation of the other (many Russian liberals disagree, love Yeltsin and hate Putin, don’t listen to them).
The turnaround was after Carter when Reagan was elected, not just in USA, but also in most of Europe.
You are absolutely right, my bad on that one. But actually under Yeltsin there was still room for optimism, and in those years cooperation between the west and Russia increased.
I think it’s more a matter of the ideals of the times, Foss was created in the 80’s, as I see it as an ideological child of the 70’s, a period of time where progress, optimism and idealism about creating a better future and a better world probably peaked.
Of course there is also idealism today, but it’s different, at least the way I see it, the sense of quick progress especially on the humanitarian side is gone, the decades of peace with Russia is broken, and climate change hangs as a threatening cloud above us, and the rise of China creates turbulence in the world order.
So although things maybe weren’t actually better in the 80’s, there are definitely aspects that look very attractive in hindsight.
But as I see it, the mentality for FOSS is now stronger than ever, because aside from idealism, it’s proved itself to also be a pragmatically good choice in many situations. But all the original founders and enablers are of course old today.
And complaining about how “people today” use technology is stupid, because chances are we would have done the same had it been available to us when we were young.
I disagree with your idea of real world turbulence affecting it. Things were going the wrong way even in 2005. Dotcom bubble, Iraq war, those things - maybe.
I actually think that USSR’s breakup is what long-term caused how our world has become worse.
Say, in terms of computers and mass culture too, they sometimes treat the 90s as a result of that breakup, but that doesn’t quite make sense, despite a few armed conflicts, it was a gradual process, CIS as an organization was treated as almost a new union in making even in my childhood.
That breakup has released a lot of dirty money into the world, and through not the cleanest people in western countries, too.
And ideologically - the optimist version of the Cold War ending was some syncretic version of the “western” and the “eastern” promises for the space-faring united future. And much of the 90s was about, often dystopian, but fantasies in the context of such an utopia.
IRL both optimist promises were forgotten. Thus the current reality.
Wow you are way off time wise, I spoke of the 70’s and 80’s. Everything you mention is AFTER that.
The Foss idea is early 80’s and EFF was created in the mid 80’s, and as I mentioned, based on the ideology of the 70’s.
The turnaround was after Carter when Reagan was elected, not just in USA, but also in most of Europe.
I agree, but initially it was all cool, a lot of Europe achieved freedom and democracy, and the Soviet states turned to democracy. We even had cooperation between the West and Russia initially. Unfortunately Putin completely ruined that after he came to power in 1991, which is also around the time Linux started.
I meant the “peace with Russia” part by that, sorry.
Meant that exactly, that (in my perception) there’s something similar in that ideology with science fiction of the same time, cinema, electronic music, industrial design and general techno-optimism. Some kind of universalism, like in Asimov’s Foundation.
1999, 1991 is Yeltsin, but one is a logical continuation of the other (many Russian liberals disagree, love Yeltsin and hate Putin, don’t listen to them).
Perhaps ; here I’m too ignorant.
You are absolutely right, my bad on that one. But actually under Yeltsin there was still room for optimism, and in those years cooperation between the west and Russia increased.