Using GNU/Linux == Assembling Your Own Ammunition
2012-07-12

The reasons that I use GNU/Linux (and only software that is free as in
freedom on my personal machines) are probably much different than the
reasons that you do. I use GNU/Linux and FOSS software because I
believe that you don't truly own a piece of technology until you
understand how it works, and have the freedom to do whatever you wish
with that technology. Also, I really really really really like the
fine-grained control over how each piece of my technology operates.

I recently had the epiphany that I pack/assemble my own ammunition for
my guns (cue crazy gun-totting American comments) for the same
reason. I am forced to understand the mechanics of how my guns
function (which is pretty straight-forward) and I am given
fine-grained (pun intended) control over how the gun will function
each and every time that I use/fire it.

Upon having this epiphany, I starting thinking about other apects of
my life where my beliefs in/about Free Software are applicable. The
results were quite numerous:
        - I prefer to work on my own car rather than having somebody else do it
        - I love cooking by taking an existing recipe and adapting it
        - Almost every mechanical thing that I own I have repaired instead of replaced
        - I grow most of my own vegetables
        - I brew my own beer
And whats more is that I take pleasure in doing these things - which
is more important that any other benefit. If fiddling, tweaking,
breaking, and fixing aren't in your bag of skills and desires, that is
fine. I am not advocating that everybody _needs_ to free software, or
pack their own ammunition, or brew their own beer, or grow their own
veggies. I am simply advocating the opinion that if you can't fix it
and then repair it, then no matter what you think, that technology
owns you completely.