Article inspired by Swapnil Bhartiya's article in Muktware magazine.
http://www.muktware.com/3695/linux-and-foss-are-extremely-selfish-its-ok-be-selfish
"All good work starts when the developer has to scratch his own itch" Eric S. Raymond
A few days ago, Linus Torvalds was awarded the Millennium Technology Prize and a check for 600 thousand euros. In an interview with the BBC, Linus stated that the idea of ​​open source was that it would allow everyone to be "selfish" and not try to make everyone contribute to the common good. Shortly afterwards, journalist Carla Schroder wrote an article on lxer.com, criticizing the use of the term "selfish" and taking it as an insult to the thousands of free software developers.
I think the controversy lies in what the term "selfish" means to us. Let's see if with this example I clarify things a bit. Suppose you leave the house and help an old man cross the street. If I asked why you did it, you would probably say "Because the old man needed help." But if I asked you about what he did to help the old man, you will surely tell me «Because me makes it feel good that yo do something to make someone else's life better. "
Attention to the words "me" and "me". They are words that are within that reason. YOUR you do good because doing it TE you feel better. That is to be human. Humans are driven by that "me."
This reminds me of something I saw in a philosophy class when Emanuel Kant's "Foundations of Metaphysics" was given. Kant said in that book that goodwill was a will that work of dutyThat is, not out of interest, or out of inclination, or out of desire. To act out of duty was to act out of reverence or respect for the moral law that the will gives itself. One works "out of duty" when his performance it does not pursue any particular interest, nor is it the result of an inclination or a desire, but is motivated solely by reverence or respect for the moral law, regardless of whether their actions may have positive or negative consequences for their person. Any other reason for the same act is considered «Selfishness»According to Kant.
In other words: If there were a moral law (yours or collective) that says that you have to help the elderly to cross the street, and you help the elderly, not because it makes you feel good to do so but because you are obliged to comply with that moral law, there you would be acting out of good will and not out of selfishness.
Now, just as the chaff must be separated from the wheat, you have to separate selfishness from greed. It is one thing to contribute out of your own free will as long as you have control over your machine and another is the same but in order to take control over your machine. That last is greed. Also in the interview, Linus says that the "selfish" reasons of each they don't need to have to do with a financial reward.
Anyway. This is my humble opinion. Let's see if I repeat the success that my previous article had (che elav, do you think it's okay to close the comments on that article? I say to end the discussion).
BBC interview with Linus:
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-18419231
Carla Schroder's Article:
http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/168555/index.html