05-16-2005, 07:05 AM
Oy gevalt, I'm from Brooklyn. Gonna call Brooklyn Communist?
I was just saying, Communists aren't necessarily evil. Or even misguided. Many Soviet citizens were perfectly good people. I say "were" because there's no more Soviet Union.
Also, if you want an example of Communism being good, the Open Source software community is Communist, and does well at it. It uses both of the main principles of real Communism, as prescribed by Marx:
1. Abolition of private property: Open Source software under the GPL or a Berkeley license can be used or modified or redistributed in any which way you like, and is downloaded freely from a computer server. The only drawback is that the GPL forces you to make any modifications you distribute GPL as well.
2. From each according to his ability, to each according to his need: We do this one one better. OSS says "From each according to how much he wants to give, to each however much he wants". Software is distributed at will and downloaded at will. There is virtually no cost, because any commercialized version of open source software can be obtained for free elsewhere.
I'll admit, that is probably the only place where true Communism will ever thrive, or even survive, without resorting to despotism. Wait, that brings up one more essential fact of Communism.
3. No government: There is noone who controls all open source software.
Therefore, stop ripping on Communists.
I was just saying, Communists aren't necessarily evil. Or even misguided. Many Soviet citizens were perfectly good people. I say "were" because there's no more Soviet Union.
Also, if you want an example of Communism being good, the Open Source software community is Communist, and does well at it. It uses both of the main principles of real Communism, as prescribed by Marx:
1. Abolition of private property: Open Source software under the GPL or a Berkeley license can be used or modified or redistributed in any which way you like, and is downloaded freely from a computer server. The only drawback is that the GPL forces you to make any modifications you distribute GPL as well.
2. From each according to his ability, to each according to his need: We do this one one better. OSS says "From each according to how much he wants to give, to each however much he wants". Software is distributed at will and downloaded at will. There is virtually no cost, because any commercialized version of open source software can be obtained for free elsewhere.
I'll admit, that is probably the only place where true Communism will ever thrive, or even survive, without resorting to despotism. Wait, that brings up one more essential fact of Communism.
3. No government: There is noone who controls all open source software.
Therefore, stop ripping on Communists.