Re: <nettime> GNU bitterness

[Fil <fil@rezo.net>]

> The free software world does have a dark side.  It's not all roses and
> butterflies.
.../...
> I think free software programmers are subjecting themselves to
> exploitation.  But, it's not a financial exploitation that worries me.
> Not only are a number of resources wasted and feelings hurt in such a
> scenerio noted above, but on a larger level, this could mean a heck of 
> a
> lot more.

There's one point that worries me, beyond money and "IP". What about workers'
rights, old plain workers' rights? Who will be guarantee access to surgery for
victims of repetitive stress injuries who've been working almost exclusively on
free software? Would the "real world" employer accept to pay? Could he argue
that the injury was caused by this "spare time activity", and hence not under
his employer's responsibility?

The answer to this question is certainly not to find in the re-marketization of
hacking, but more probably in universal rights (basic income, health as a
public service...). But it seems like a blind spot for now. As hackers will
grow older and find that their activity leads to some kind of occupational
hazard, they might become painfully aware that they should have thought about
this before.

-- Fil

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