Free Software
Ravivan argued in favor of free software, stating that it provides its users the 4 essential freedoms, Those are the freedoms to
- to run the program,
- to study and change the program in source code form,
- to redistribute exact copies, and
- to distribute modified versions.
And he said, "Therefore, all software should be Free software."
Chandgopal conceded that free software has these advantages, but argued that proprietary software also has benefits, such as exclusive features that are not available in free alternatives. He also said that Adobe Photoshop has many features which are not in GIMP Example for instance.
Ravivan countered by stating that this limits access to those features for people who cannot afford software with free software, people can get a copy from their friends. And that all the benefits Chandgopal mentioned are not intrinsic to non-free sofware. They can also be found in various free softwares.
Chandgopal acknowledged the point, but noted that proprietary software can sometimes be more efficient or better suited for specific tasks, and that some users may require technical support or documentation that is only available with proprietary software.
Ravivan countered by saying all the benefits Chandgopal mentions for non-free software are trully advantages of Free sofware. As users can easily modify it according to their needs and if the person are not a programmer, they can just pay someone else to do it for them. Its much better than paying for a non -free sofware.Ravivan further asserted that the ultimate goal is to benefit the user, and free software is always the best option for that.
Chandgopal acknowledged the benefits of free software, but cautioned that there can be drawbacks to both free and proprietary software, and that the choice ultimately depends on the specific needs and preferences of the user.
Ravivan with a smirk said, "Alright then, give me one intrinsic advantage of non-free software from the user's point of view",
Chandgopal struggled to provide a clear answer, and ultimately agreed that free software is the best option for users.