Linux And Its Ethical Implication

In this paper, we attach importance to case study and the so-called approach of ideal classification in the application of approaches. Specifically speaking, Linux is regarded as an ideal model for us to study the Free Software Movement and the Open Source Movement to reach some general conclusions. The emphasis of the study is not only placed on the exploration of the model itself, but also on the social and historical background against which the model exists. In other words, in this paper Linux has been considered to be the ideal model in the Free Software Movement and the Open Source Movement, both of which are thought of as the cultural origin of Linux. What we do is not only intended to analyze Linux and issues concerning the Free Software Movement and the Open Source Movement, but to exhibit their significance to the realities and the future society.This paper holds the idea that Linux is a kind of technique and a kind of software alike to the Unix operative system, but it is more than a kind oftechnique and a kind of software-it is a revolution related to softwaredevelopment means, and a cultural movement that is shared by the IT circles and the whole world freely. The success of Linux is not in its excellent technique, but in the free, open and common spirit it has and in the cultural implication it contains. Therefore, the cultural essence and positive meaning of Linux can not be cultivated unless we look at and study the Linux phenomenon from a moral point of view.Because of the revolutionary character, the development of Linux, the Free Software Movement and the Open Source Movement is doomed to be controversial. This paper holds that the controversies concentrate on such aspects as the Linux spirit and the reasonability of the free software philosophy; the Linus Principle and the spiritual motive of the Linux Community, the value and vitality of the open source model; the hacker ethic and its significance to thecontemporary' generation and the future generations; Linux and the opposition to knowledge monopoly and the cult of information; the conflict between the Free Software Movement and copy right; the legal, economic and ethical consequences coming from the conflict between Linux and Windows; the significance of Linux to the free development of software in the developing countries and the tendency of the Linux community culture.First and first of all, this paper recalls the developing situation of Linux, the Free Software Movement and the Open Source Movement and analyzes the causes for the success of Linux, holding that the appearance and development of Linux is not something happening to emerge, as the father of Linux has put it, but something rises against comprehensive cultural, technological and economic background. And the development of Linux has much to do with the birth and prevailing of internet If there had not been the Free Software Movement, the existence and development of Linux would have been out of the question. The success of Linux has also much to do with the formation of the Linux community.This paper discloses the Linux spirit, holding that the Linux spirit is nothing but that of the Free Software Movement that is free, open and common with freedom as its center. And the thesis also looks into the mutual relations between the Linux spirit and the ethic of science, the spirit of internet, the free software spirit and the spirit of the Open Source Movement.The Linus Principle and the spiritual motive of the Linux community have also been studied. We consider that the Linus Principle has an unique insight in its classification of hacker's conduct, which has been chiefly reflected in the idea that it regards recreation as the highest motive. However, what the Linus Principle concentrates on is not how people have been encouraged by the three factors, but how the three sorts have developed.We think that although the Linus Principle pointed out directly the motive of the Linux hacker, its consideration had gone far beyond the Linux hacker. The Linux ha...